A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
The Kelowna Rockets had their three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the Wenatchee Wild on Saturday night.
4:47 into period one, the Rockets gave up a shorthanded goal and found themselves trailing 1-0, but managed to even up the score thanks to a goal from the team’s leading scorer Andrew Cristall, who extended his point streak to 18 games.
Unfortunately, it was all downhill for the visiting Rockets, giving up another tally before the final horn sounded on the first period, followed by another in the second period and three more in third. Trailing 6-1 with the man advantage, the Rockets managed to slip one past Wild netminder Daniel Hauser. Tij Iginla would also score for Kelowna, his 22nd of the season, but the Rockets came up short falling 6-3.
The Rockets record is now 18-17-2-0. The Wild outshot the Rockets 35-34, while their powerplay was 1 for 4, and the Rockets went 1 for 2 with the man advantage. Rockets netminder Jake Pilon stopped 20 of 25 shots faced through the first 47:38 of the contest, before Jari Kykkanen came in relief, stopping nine of 10 shots directed his way.
The Rockets get back in action on Wednesday when they host the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Saturday’s results
- Vancouver 4, Brandon 0
- Prince Albert 2, Saskatoon 1
- Regina 2, Victoria 1
- Swift Current 7, Moose Jaw 6
- Medicine Hat 12, Tri City 1
- Portland 4, Prince George 3
- Everett 4, Seattle 2
Sunday’s games
- Edmonton at Calgary
- Prince George at Everett
- Spokane at Medicine Hat
The West Kelowna Warriors impressive run is finally over.
Coming into Saturday’s game against the Cranbrook Bucks, the Warriors hadn’t lost in regulation in close to two months. In a span of 13 games, the club posted a record of 11-0-2-0.
The first period saw both teams score a combined eight goals, but unfortunately for the Warriors, the Bucks scored five of them, and lead 5-3 heading into the middle frame. The Warriors made things interesting in the second, after Isaiah Norlin deposited his 7th goal of the season, but the Bucks would add another goal in the third to win 6-3.
The loss marks the Warriors’ first defeat on home ice since Nov. 14. West Kelowna outshot the Bucks 30-27. The Warriors have a chance to redeem themselves at home on Jan. 13 when they host Cowichan Valley.
24 hours after being thumped by the Prince George Spruce Kings 7-4, the Penticton Vees got their revenge.
The Vees entered the Kopar Memorial Arena in Prince George with ice in their veins Saturday night, determined to have a better fate than the night prior. In the opening period, the Vees opened the scoring thanks to Thomas Pichette, who scored his 9th goal of the season.
Still in the first, Brogan McNeil would even up the score at 1-1, but the Vees came back strong with a pair of goals, and they managed to hold the Spruce Kings off the scoresheet for the remainder of the game, taking a 3-1 decision.
Penticton outshot Prince George 27-21, and with the win they improved their record to 22-6-2-2. They currently sit atop the Interior Division standings with 46 points – only two points ahead of the West Kelowna Warriors. The Vees now have a few days off to rest, before hosting the Vernon Vipers on Friday.
Despite falling behind in the second period, the Vernon Vipers managed to steer home a win against the Trail Smoke Eaters Saturday night.
Just 34 seconds into the match, Trail’s Ridge Dawson found the back of the net, and his club would hold onto the 1-0 edge until the dying minutes of the opening frame, when Vernon’s Payton Struck evened up the score.
In the second period, this time 36 second in, the Smoke Eaters regained their lead after Matthew Cobetto-Roy scored his 14th of the campaign, but the Vipers turned on the jets in the middle frame, responding with two unanswered goals to go up 3-2, and that would be just enough to defeat the Smoke Eaters on this occasion.
Vernon outshot Trail 28-21 and improved to 19-11-1-0. The Vipers get back on the ice on Friday when they visit the league’s best team, the Penticton Vees.
Saturday’s results
- Cowichan Valley 6, Prince Rupert 5
- Victoria 4, Chilliwack 2
- Salmon Arm 5, Alberni Valley 3
- Coquitlam 5, Nanaimo 4
Sunday’s games
- Cranbrook at Langley
- Coquitlam at Surrey
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