A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Four goals in the first period helped Kelowna earn its first win in Kamloops in three years.
Not since Dec. 28, 2021, had the Rockets beaten the Blazers in their own barn. But a four-assist outing from Marek Rocak and a 45-save effort from Jari Kykkanen on Friday night ended Kelowna’s miserable, 11-game losing streak in Kamloops.
Hiroki Gojsic, Max Graham, Gabriel Szturc, Luke Schelter, Caden Price and Andrew Cristall scored for Kelowna (24-24-3-0), which led 4-0 and 6-1 at the period breaks.
Emmitt Finnie, with two goals, and Zach Pantelakis replied for Kamloops (15-30-3-2), which trailed 6-0 midway through the second period.
The Blazers outshot the Rockets 48-29, with Dylan Ernst making 22 saves for Kamloops.
The Rockets were 1-for-1 on the power play while the Blazers were 1-for-6.
In B.C. Division standings, Prince George (34-15-0-2) leads with 70 points, with Victoria (25-19-4-4) in second with 58. Kelowna is third with 51 points, Vancouver (23-24-3-0) is fourth with 49 points and Kamloops, which is going through a rebuilding process, is fifth and last with 35 points.
The Blazers had won the B.C. Division pennant four straight times, with Kamloops posting a peak of 103 points last season as it hosted the 2023 Memorial Cup, placing fourth in the four-team tournament.
On Saturday, Kelowna will host Kamloops. It will be their sixth meeting of the season, with the Blazers holding a 3-2 edge so far.
In their two previous meetings at Prospera Place, the Rockets won 6-4 on Dec. 29, with the Blazers winning 4-3 in overtime on Jan. 26.
Friday’s results
- Brandon 4, Lethbridge 1
- Calgary 6, Medicine Hat 2
- Prince George 4, Victoria 1
- Moose Jaw 6, Red Deer 4
- Saskatoon 6, Prince Albert 1
- Vancouver 3, Seattle 1
- Spokane 5, Tri-City 1
- Swift Current 4, Edmonton 1
- Everett 6, Wenatchee 2
Saturday’s games
- Moose Jaw at Calgary
- Spokane at Everett
- Kamloops at Kelowna
- Red Deer at Medicine Hat
- Seattle at Portland
- Brandon at Prince Albert
- Victoria at Prince George
- Edmonton at Regina
- Saskatoon at Swift Current
- Wenatchee at Vancouver
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
CRANBROOK 2, WEST KELOWNA 1 (OT)
At Cranbrook, Jacob Fletcher scored the game-winning goal, in overtime, as the Bucks downed the Warriors despite getting outshot 40-25 on Friday night.
Blake Cotton, who opened the scoring late in the second period after a scoreless first, had the other goal for Cranbrook (17-23-2-0-0).
Jack Pridham, at 12:09 of the third, replied for West Kelowna (24-8-7-0-0).
Carter Capton had a 39-save outing for the Bucks, with Rorke Applebee stopping 23 shots for the Warriors.
Both teams were scoreless on the power play, with West Kelowna at 0-for-1 and Cranbrook at 0-for-2.
At Salmon Arm, Isaac Lambert tallied a natural hat trick over three periods as the Silverbacks downed the Spruce Kings on Friday night.
Lambert scored midway through the first, making it 1-1, then at 4:52 of the second to make it 2-1. His third goal of the night came just eight seconds into the third.
Nathan Mackie and Nathaniel Davis, with respective goals at 13:28 and 16:06 of the third to make it 4-1 and 5-1, also scored for Salmon Arm (25-12-0-2-0).
Owen Goodbrand, who opened the scoring at 7:49 of the first, and Luca Primerano, who closed out the scoring with a power-play goal at 19:21 of the third, replied for Prince George (13-22-3-0-0).
Eli Pulver stopped 25 of 27 shots for the Silverbacks, with Charlie Zolin making 34 saves on 39 shots.
Salmon Arm was 1-for-1 on the power play while Prince George was 2-for-4.
At Victoria, Ethan David had a show-stopping performance, making 46 saves, as the Vipers downed the Grizzlies on Friday night despite getting outshot 50-23.
Erik Pastro, Carson McGinley, Luke Pakulak, Owen Kim and Shea Busch scored for Vernon (23-14-1-0-0), which led 3-2 and 4-2 at the period breaks.
Jacksenn Hungle, Oliver Genest, Julian Cull and Reegan Hiscock replied for Victoria (21-16-0-1-0), which received a 17-save effort from Owen Bresson.
Both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Vernon at 0-for-2 and Victoria at 0-for-4.
Friday’s results
- Coquitlam 2, Chilliwack 1 (SO)
- Alberni Valley 5, Cowichan Valley 3
- Surrey 1, Nanaimo 0
- Langley 4, Powell River 2
- Trail 5, Merritt 3
Saturday’s games
- Coquitlam at Chilliwack
- Vernon at Cowichan Valley
- Prince George at Penticton
- Nanaimo at Victoria
- Merritt at Cranbrook
- Surrey at Alberni Valley
- Langley at Powell River
- West Kelowna at Trail
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled
KIJHL
Friday’s results
- Kimberley 4, Grand Forks 3 (OT)
- Fernie 5, Creston Valley 3
- Columbia Valley 6, Golden 3
- Princeton 6, Kelowna 0
- North Okanagan 5, Chase 2
- Revelstoke 5, Kamloops 3
- Castlegar 4, Nelson 1
- Beaver Valley 6, Spokane 2
- Osoyoos 1, Summerland 0 (OT)
Saturday’s games
- Grand Forks at Fernie
- Columbia Valley at Kimberley
- Creston Valley at Golden
- North Okanagan at Osoyoos
- Kamloops at 100 Mile House
- Chase at Revelstoke
- Beaver Valley at Castlegar
- Spokane at Nelson
- Princeton at Summerland
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled
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