Big road win gives Kamloops Storm momentum heading home for Game 5

Photo: Kamloops Storm

The Kamloops Storm tied their best-of-seven playoff series at two with a commanding 4-1 win in Sicamous on Tuesday night.

The Storm routed the Eagles 4-1 in what started as a close game in the first period, with the Eagles leading 1-0 on a goal from forward Ashton Angle and shots 11-10 in favour of the Storm.

Kamloops took over the game in the second period, putting up four unanswered goals before the final buzzer rang at the Sicamous & District Recreation Centre.

Kamloops scored twice in the second period with goals from forwards Ryan Larsen and Thomas Clarke, while team captain Evan Clark added the third goal in the third period. Nathan Bohmer capped off the scoring with an empty net goal with 35 seconds left in the game.

Kamloops outshot Sicamous 28-22, including 10-5 in the final period.

Storm goalie Colton Phillips-Watts made 21 saves, including a penalty shot save in the third period from Eagles forward Hayden Evans with less than two minutes to play.

Sicamous goaltender Gabe Bergeron stopped 24 shots he faced.

The Storm had a battered blue line, missing Sam Lewis, Devin Benson to injury and Sam Zulyniak to the last of his two game suspension. As a result, the Storm dressed affiliate player Kieran Thibault and inserted rookie Kaden Lawlor into the lineup.

Both Kamloops and Sicamous went 0-3 on the power play Tuesday night.

The Doug Birks division semi-final series, tied at two games apiece, now shifts back to the McArthur Island Sports Centre where the Storm have a chance to ride momentum and put the Eagles on the brink of elimination.

Game six is set for Saturday in Sicamous. If a seventh and deciding game is needed, it would be played Monday on Mac Isle.

All games in the series start at 7 p.m. and are available on pay-per-view on FloHockeyTV.