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Adam Taylor's double OT goal advances Salmon Kings in ECHL playoffs

 

The Victoria Salmon Kings will be moving on at the end of the season thanks to the return of the WHL to The Capital City.

They're moving on in the ECHL playoffs thanks to Courtenay's Adam Taylor.

Last Friday at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, Taylor scored the series-clinching goal in double overtime to give the Salmon Kings a 2-1 win over the Utah Grizzlies and a 4-0 sweep of their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.

Taylor's third goal of the playoffs came 48 seconds into the second extra frame. Ryan Dingle forced a turnover in the Grizzlies' zone and the puck found its way to Taylor, who fired from the right half boards. The puck deflected off a Grizzlies' defender and past the goalie at the left post.

It was the longest game in Salmon Kings' club history, a history that will end this season as the WHL is returning to Victoria (the Chilliwack Bruins are relocating), forcing the only ECHL franchise in Canada to find a new home.

Victoria's Kelly Cup quest continues with the seventh-seed Salmon Kings advancing to their first-ever Western Conference final where they will meet their arch-rival Alaska Aces. Game one in that best-of-seven series goes tonight in Alaska.

The Aces are the No. 1 playoff seed and posted the ECHL's best regular-season record. Victoria hosts game three (Saturday, April 30), game four (Monday, May 2) and if needed game five (Wednesday, May 4), with all game times 7:05 p.m.

Taylor has five points (3g, 2a) through eight playoff games. He amassed 10 points (6g, 4a) in 23 regular season games.

The Salmon Kings began playing in Victoria in 2004; their roots began as a dormant ECHL membership that last resided in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

sports@comoxvalleyrecord.com