The Virden Oil Capitals continued their strong playoff run Tuesday night, defeating the Neepawa Titans 6-3 at home to move one step closer to advancing in the series.
Backed by a huge offensive night from Light and another complete team effort, the Oil Caps used a strong start and a dominant third period to pull away from the Titans in front of the home crowd.
Virden struck early and often in the first period, opening the scoring just 1:51 into the game as Plaisier found the back of the net with assists from Siemens and Light. The Oil Caps kept pressing, and just over two minutes later, Lewko made it 2-0, finishing a setup from Bryant and Worthington.
Neepawa answered midway through the frame when Lewis scored, but Virden responded in a big way late in the period. Light restored the two-goal lead, converting a chance from Ulmer and Siemens. The Titans made it interesting again when Clark scored shortly after, cutting the lead to 3-2 after 20 minutes.
The second period saw both teams tighten up defensively, with no goals scored despite several penalty opportunities. Virden’s structure and poise helped preserve the lead heading into the final period of play.
Just 5:05 into the third period, Hoilett gave Virden breathing room, scoring to make it 4-2. Moments later, Light struck again, with Siemens and Ulmer picking up the assists. Neepawa got one back late on the power play when Paquette scored, but any hopes of a comeback were short-lived. Just 21 seconds later, Light completed the hat trick at 19:21, putting the finishing touch on a dominant offensive performance and sending the home crowd into celebration mode. As tempers boiled over in the third period, both teams exchanged a flurry of penalties and misconducts.
The night belonged to Light, who recorded a hat trick and added an assist in a standout playoff performance. Virden also got goals from Plaisier, Lewko, and Hoilett, while Siemens and Ulmer each contributed multiple assists as the Oil Caps showcased their depth once again.
Virden controlled much of the play, outshooting Neepawa 47-21, including a massive 20-shot first period. Neepawa goaltender Couckuyt kept the game from getting further out of reach, making 41 saves on the night. At the other end, Burdeny stopped 18 of 21 shots to earn the win.
Final Score:
Virden Oil Capitals 6
Neepawa Titans 3
