Vernon will move on in the BCHL playoffs, eliminating West Kelowna in six games

Photo: Contributed

The Vernon Vipers shut down the West Kelowna Warriors on Sunday night and, in the process, knocked the Warriors out of the BC Hockey League playoffs.

For the third straight game, the Vipers shut down the Warriors, winning the decisive sixth game 3-0 before more than 2,300 fans at Kal Tire Place to take the series four games to two.

The Warriors held a 2-1 series lead following a 5-2 win in game three last Tuesday.

But the Vipers and goaltender Ethan David shut down the Warriors the rest of the way, allowing just one goal in winning games four, five, and six.

On Sunday, goals from Thomas Tien and Julian Facchinelli, 66 seconds apart early in the second period, snapped a scoreless tie and sent the Vipers on their way.

Reagan Milburn, seven minutes into the second, closed out the scoring.

The Vipers threw up a blanket around the Warriors the rest of the night. They allowed just two shots in the second and seven more in the third.

The Vipers outshot the Warriors 38-14 over the course of the game.

Ethan David earned his second shutout in three games.

The Warriors, already minus forward Brennan Nelson and Felix Caron and defenceman Landon Hilditch due to injury, also played Sunday without Kailus Green, who was slapped with a one-game suspension for a blindside charge assessed in game five.

The Vipers will face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the next round while Penticton will take on the Wenatchee Wild.

Wenatchee also advanced Sunday, upsetting the Cranbrook Bucks 4-2.

The opening games of those series are scheduled for Friday in Salmon Arm and Penticton, respectively.