The Saanich Braves have advanced to the second round of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoffs with a 4-2 best-of-seven series win over the Kerry Park Islanders.

It ended on Friday with a 4-0 shutout by Braves goalie Anderson Violette at Pearkes.

The fifth-seed Braves will now face the first-seed Campbell River Storm in a rematch of the 2018 VIJHL final that the Storm won in Game 7. The first two games are Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. in Campbell River, with Games 3 and 4 at Pearkes, 6 p.m. on Monday and 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

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Despite finishing atop the league in the 2018-19 season standings the Storm dropped to a 3-1 deficit to the eighth-seed Peninsula Panthers in the first round.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting to go to the second-round [against the Storm], theyB次元官网网址檙e coming off a grind with Peninsula, theyB次元官网网址檙e playing good hockey,B次元官网网址� said Braves coach and general manager Sam Waterfield.

ItB次元官网网址檚 been an interesting year as the Braves shot out to a 12-0-1 record and didnB次元官网网址檛 drop their first regulation loss until Game 13 against the Westshore Wolves on Oct. 19. The Braves then lulled with a mediocre record before slowly picking up their game and resembling the team that was within a win of the 2018 VIJHL Patterson Memorial Trophy.

B次元官网网址淐ome February the team started to sense the excitement for the playoffs, we played better and stuck to our game plan and got results,B次元官网网址� Waterfield said.

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In the the Braves took Games 1 and 2 on the road in Kerry Park 6-3 and 3-1. The 2-0 lead was the cushion Braves they needed as the Islanders and Braves then split the next four games. Kyle Mace stood out in Game 1 for the Braves as the 20-year-old potted a hat trick, matching a fifth of his regular season goals in one game. Mace is tied for the team lead in playoff scoring at seven points with Gavin Grewal.

MaceB次元官网网址檚 game matches up nicely with the playoffs, when the hockey is grittier and it can be harder to earn space, Waterfield said.

B次元官网网址淸Mace] plays physical and the intensity he brings suits the playoffs well,B次元官网网址� Waterfield said. B次元官网网址淥bviously the refs let a little bit more physicality go in the playoffs.B次元官网网址�

Round 2 starts with the first two games in Campbell River.

B次元官网网址淏oth rosters have seen a lot of changes over the last 12 months, Game 1 will be a little bit of a feeling process,B次元官网网址� Waterfield said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 still some bad blood from last year that will elevate the temperature. ItB次元官网网址檒l get there quickly.B次元官网网址�

reporter@saanichnews.com