A round-up of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
In round one of WHL playoff action, the Kelowna Rockets evened their series against the Wenatchee Wild on Saturday night.
In game one, the Rockets blew a 5-2 lead, but on this occasion, they stuck with their game plan and found a way.
Just 1:10 into the opening frame, Rockets forward Andrew Cristall redirected the puck past Wild netminder Daniel Hauser to give Kelowna an early 1-0 lead. The visitors would extend their lead to 2-0 thanks to another deflection, this time coming off of the stick of Trae Johnson, who would eventually be named the game’s first star.
The Wild scored their only goal in the second period when Briley Wood made a nice play from behind the net, setting up Sam Ward, who was positioned in the left faceoff circle, with a one-time pass. The goal cut the Rockets lead in half.
But the Rockets locked it down by stringing together a strong third-period effort that saw them put the game away with 2:30 left to play, as Luke Schelter ripped the puck into the empty net.
The Rockets were outshot by the Wild 27-22. Kelowna went 0-for-5 on the power play, while Wenatchee went 0-for-1.
The series now shifts back to Kelowna. Game 3 gets underway on April 2, and Game 4 will be played the following night.
Saturday’s results
- Everett 2, Vancouver 1 (Series tied 1-1)
- Swift Current 4, Lethbridge 3 (Swift Curent leads series 2-0)
- Medicine Hat 3, Red Deer 1 (Series tied 1-1)
- Moose Jaw 5, Brandon 4 (Moose Jaw leads series 2-0)
- Portland 5, Victoria 1 (Portland leads series 2-0)
- Prince George 7, Spokane 4 (Prince George leads series 2-0)
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled
VERNON 6, POWELL RIVER 2
It was anyone’s game heading into the third period between the Vernon Vipers and Powell River Kings Saturday night, but it was the Vipers who turned on the jets, propelling themselves to a huge home-ice victory.
Neither team found the back of the net in the first period, and after two periods of play, the score was tied at one-a-piece. Both teams played a strong defensive game in the first 40 minutes of regulation, and it looked like it was going to be a close battle right to the very end. The hometown Vipers, however, had other plans.
Just 25 seconds into the final frame, Vipers’ forward Nick Mikan struck on the power play to give his team a 2-1 edge. After Mikan’s tiebreaker, goals would come fast and furious for Vernon in the final 20 minutes. Etienne Lessard, Luke Bibby, Bronson Ross, would score. Mikan also scored another power play marker, and the Vipers skated off Kal Tire Place ice in front of 2,547 fans with a 6-2 win.
The Kings outshot the Vipers 35-25. Vernon went 2-for-6 on the power play, while Powell River went 0-for-1.
That wraps up the regular-season schedule for Vernon. They’ll now turn their attention to their round one opponent in the BCHL Playoffs, the Trail Smoke Eaters. Game 1 gets underway in Vernon on April 5.
At Salmon Arm, the Trail Smoke Eaters came away with a victory thanks to a pair of goals in the final minutes of the match.
The Smoke Eaters jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Cash Carter scored at the 4:29 mark of period one, but Cole Cooksey’s power play goal and Adam Boatter’s even-strength marker gave the Silverbacks a 2-1 lead heading into period two.
In the middle stanza, the only goal of the period would come at 21 seconds in, as Trail’s Adam Parsons buried his 13th goal of the season. Then, with just under three minutes left to play, Mathieu Cobetto-Roy broke the tie and Josh Schenk hit an empty-net goal, leading the Smoke Eaters to a 4-2 win.
Final shots on goal were 37-37. The Silverbacks went 1-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Smoke Eaters went 0-for-2.
Trail plays Vernon in round one of the BCHL Playoffs, while the Silverbacks take on the Merritt Centennials.
Saturday’s results
- Spruce Grove 3, Blackfalds 2 (SO)
- Surrey 6, Cowichan Valley 1
- Alberni Valley 3, Langley 2 (OT)
- Victoria 5, Coquitlam 4
- Chilliwack 3, Nanaimo 2
- Merritt 4, Prince George 1
Sunday’s games
- Chilliwack at Nanaimo
- Prince George at Merritt
*End of regular season*
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