Junior hockey: Warriors prevail in overtime, Vees take 2-0 series lead

A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.

B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

WEST KELOWNA 5, SALMON ARM 4 (OT)

The West Kelowna Warriors have evened up their second-round best-of-seven series against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks with an overtime victory Saturday night.

Game 2 was vastly different from the 6-1 shellacking the Warriors received in Game 1.

The Silverbacks managed to get on the board early with a goal that came just 25 seconds into Saturday’s pivotal matchup, but the hometown Warriors stormed back with a three-goal second period that saw them lead 3-2 after 40 minutes of play.

In the final frame, the Warriors took a two-goal lead after Jack Pridham deposited his 7^th goal of the postseason, but less than a minute later the Silverbacks made it a one-goal game with Cole Cooksey’s 5^th goal of the playoffs.

With the Silverbacks now on a powerplay, determined to send the game to overtime, JJ Monteiro ripped home the equalizer, and the score remained tied 4-4 at the final buzzer of the third period.

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In overtime, however, Warriors forward Carter Oakenfold would be the hero, scoring his first goal of the postseason and the game-winner to tie the series at 1-1.

The Warriors outshot the Silverbacks 42-24.

Both teams remained fairly disciplined throughout the game, with Salmon Arm only taking one minor penalty, while West Kelowna was penalized three times. Salmon Arm scored the game’s only powerplay goal.

The series shifts back to Salmon Arm for Games 3 and 4, which will played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

2:11 NHL playoffs: Can a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup after 31-year drought?

PENTICTON 3, VERNON 1

The Penticton Vees remain perfect on home ice this postseason, after defeating the Vernon Vipers on Saturday to take a 2-0 series lead.

Vernon’s Georgios Stavrianeas took the energy out of the ruckus crowd of 2,261 at the South Okanagan Event Centre after scoring the game’s first goal just past the midway point of the opening period, but Penticton’s Zack Stringer restored it a little over a minute later with his 3^rd goal of the postseason.

Neither team found the back of the net in the second period, but in the third with the score deadlocked at one-all, the Vees struck with two quick goals from James Fisher and Simon Meier to take a 3-1 lead, and that would stand as the final score.

The Vees heavily outshot the Vipers 44-21. Penticton went 0-for-1 on the powerplay while not taking any penalties through 60 minutes.

Penticton’s Andrew Ness also improved to 3-0 in the BCHL Playoffs after stopping 20 of 21 shots.

Games 3 and 4 will be played in Vernon on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Saturday’s results

• Sherwood Park 6, Blackfalds 4 (Sherwood Park leads series 2-0)
• Okotoks 5, Brooks 2 (Seried tied 1-1)
• Alberni Valley 3, Chilliwack 1 (Alberni Valley leads series 2-0)
• Surrey 4, Victoria 1 (Series tied 1-1)

Sunday’s games

• No games scheduled

Monday’s game

• Surrey at Victoria