WHL Playoffs: Teydon Trembecky scores with 30 seconds left to complete hat trick, Spokane Chiefs fall to Victoria 4-3 in Game 3

VICTORIA, B.C. – Victoria’s Teydon Trembecky finished a hat trick with 30 seconds left and the Spokane Chiefs lost to the Royals 4-3 in Game 3 of the Western Hockey League Western Conference semifinals at Memorial Arena on Wednesday.

Victoria leads the series 2-1. Game 4 is Friday at 7:05 in Victoria.

The Chiefs trailed by two entering the third period.

Andrew Cristall made it a one-goal game with 13:11 left. Shea Van Olm’s initial one-handed shot from a sharp angle went cleanly through the goal crease, but Cristall corralled the rebound and on his second whack at it flipped it over a scrambling Jayden Kraus (47 saves) for his second goal of the game and ninth of the postseason.

Victoria received the first power play of the third period when Chase Harrington was sent off for a high stick with just more than seven minutes left.

The Chiefs killed the penalty, then capitalized. Brayden Crampton’s shot from the point was knocked down, but Harrington banged home the rebound from the top of the crease to tie it with 4:53 remaining.

But Will McIsaac was called for high-sticking with 1:21 to go, and Trembecky scored on the ensuing power play with 30 seconds left, taking a cross-ice pass from Cole Reschny and slotting past Chiefs goalie Dawson Cowan (29 saves) for his sixth goal of the playoffs.

Victoria went 2 for 5 on the power play; Spokane went 0 for 3.

For the seventh time in eight playoff games the Chiefs surrendered the game’s first goal.

Early in the first period the Royals came in with an odd-man rush. Dawson Cowan made the save but Chase Harrington was called for hooking on the backcheck, giving Victoria the first power play of the game. The Royals had a few good opportunities with the advantage but Cowan was equal to the task.

Victoria took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. Berkly Catton was going to be sent to the box for checking from behind. On the delayed call the Royals moved into the Chiefs zone with speed and Cole Reschny handed off toe Teydon Trembecky, who beat Cowan for his fourth goal of the postseason.

A few minutes later Chiefs defenseman Saige Weinstein was whistled for interference and the Royals made good on it, with Reschny’s intended pass from the left wing circle deflecting off Sam Oremba’s stick past Cowan.

Less than a minute later Victoria made it 3-0. Reschny drove behind the net and passed out front to Trembecky, who’s one-time sailed past Cowan for his second of the game.

With 6 minutes left in the period Catton was hauled down and the Chiefs went to the power play. Just after the advantage expired Andrew Cristall’s shot from a sharp angle deflected off a defenseman and tumbled into the goal for his ninth goal of the playoffs.

Brayden Boehm dumped Cam Parr from behind a little more than 4 minutes into the second period. Boehm was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct.

But the Chiefs failed to take advantage of the long power play and the game remained 3-1 midway through the second.

The Chiefs received another power play a bit later on a Victoria delay of game penalty, but could not muster a shot on goal.

With 4 1/2 minutes left in the period, Weinstein was sent off for his third penalty of the game – and fifth in the last two games – on a cross-checking behind the Spokane net.