Jr. Canucks, Navigators inch closer to NWJHL final

Mar 9, 2019 | 7:30 AM

A pair of pivotal game five’s in the NWJHL semi finals hit the ice on Friday night.

In Dawson Creek, Mason Ducharme’s goal at the 9:29 mark of overtime gave the hometown Junior Canucks a 6-5 win over the County of Grande Prairie JDA Kings to take a 3-2 series lead.

Brandon Rowley scored twice for DC, while Chase Henrickson, Andrew Davidse and Tanner Bahm added singles.

Cody Quinton, Justin Rudyk, Jeremy Niven, Austin Hrehoruk and Jaiden LaPorte replied for the Kings, who led 3-1 after two periods and also led 4-3 later in the period, but needed LaPorte’s goal to send the game to overtime.

Meanwhile, in Fort St John, the defending champion Huskies are one loss away from seeing their season come to an end.

Theo Cunningham’s goal with 3:49 left in the third stood up as the winner, as the North Peace Navigators survived a late surge for a 4-3 win, and a 3-2 lead in the series.

Isaiah Letendre, Dawson Gour and Dex Elders also scored for the Navigators, while Jared Winkel, Geoff Dick and Aiden Craig-Steele replied for the Huskies.

Game six in both series goes tonight in Clairmont and Peace River.

by Jeff Henson