A round-up of Friday night results from junior hockey teams in the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kelowna 3, Tri-City 2
At Kennewick, Wash., Roman Basran stopped 21 shots and Kyle Topping scored what stood up as the game winner in the third period as Kelowna snapped a four-game losing streak.
Dalton Wilton, who opened the scoring at 2:54 of the first period, and Libor Zabransky, at 9:20 of the first, also scored for Kelowna (2-8-0-0), which led 2-1 after 20 minutes. Topping scored at 5:30 of the third to make it 3-1 after a scoreless second.
Isaac Johnson, at 19:32 of the first, and Blake Stevenson, at 9:35 of the third, replied for Tri-City (3-3-0-0), which received a 34-save effort from Beck Warm. Kelowna, which outshot the Americans 37-23, was 0-for-3 on the power play. Tri-City was 1-for-4. The attendance at Toyota Center was 3,319.
The two teams play again tonight in Kelowna. Game time at Prospera Place is 7:05 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
Merritt 8, West Kelowna 4
At Merritt, the host Centennials overcame an early 3-1 deficit then pulled away in the third period, scoring three times as they doubled the Warriors.
Bradley Cocca, with two goals, Brady Ziemer, Brendan Schneider, Matthew Kopperud, Mathiew Gosselin, Vincent Guy and Michael Van Unen scored for Merritt (8-6-0-0). The Cents opened the scoring, Cocca with his first of the night at 1:59 of the first, but wound up quickly trailing 3-1 after West Kelowna lit the lamp three times over the next 10 minutes.
Merritt responded by adding three more before the period expired to take a 4-3 lead after 20 minutes. After swapping goals in the second, with the Cents leading 5-4 after 40 minutes, Merritt scored going away, adding three more in the third.
Mike Hardman, at 2:53 of the first, Willie Reim, with back-to-back goals at 5:18 and 12:16 of the first, plus Tyler Pang, at 17:04 of the second, replied for West Kelowna (6-6-0-0).
Austin Roden stopped 29 of 33 shots for Merritt while Brock Baier took the loss for West Kelowna, turning aside 40 of 48 shots. The Warriors were 1-for-5 on the power play while the Cents were 3-for-12. The attendance was 454.
Salmon Arm 3, Penticton 2 (SO)
At Salmon Arm, Ethan Langenegger made 39 saves and the Silverbacks outscored the Vees in the shootout for the win.
Matthew Verboon and Nick Unruh scored for Salmon Arm (6-4-1-0) while Ryan Sandelin and Jack Lagerstrom replied for Penticton (6-4-0-1). Jack LaFontaine made 24 stops for the Vees.
Sandelin opened the scoring just 17 seconds into the game, making it 1-0 Penticton, though Verboon replied three minutes later at 3:20 to level the score. Lagerstrom had the only goal in the second period, giving Penticton a 2-1 lead, but Unruh tied the game in the third, scoring his first goal of the season at 4:36. There was no scoring in overtime, and in the shootout, Salmon Arm went 3-for-3 while Penticton went 2-for-3.
Penticton was 0-for-4 on the power play while Salmon Arm was 1-for-1. The attendance was 812.
In BCHL action on Saturday evening, Cowichan Valley (2-8-1-1) visits Penticton, Salmon Arm treks to Prince George (7-4-0-1) and Nanaimo (4-7-0-0) is in West Kelowna.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kelowna 7, Grand Forks 2
At Grand Forks, Kelowna’s offence chewed up yet another victim, as the Chiefs won for the 11th time in 12 games this season.
Kayson Gallant, Brody Dale and Mathew Alcorn scored in the first period to stake the Chiefs to an early 3-0 lead, while Ryan Stack, Isaac Dutka, Kaden Stewart and Tyson Ludba scored in the third for Kelowna (11-0-0-0-1). The Chiefs lead 3-1 after 20 minutes and there was no scoring in the second.
Liam Stalwick, to make it 3-1, and Logan Hascarl, who made it 5-2 in the third, replied for Grand Forks (3-7-0-0-1).
Braden Mitchell turned aside 35 of 37 shots for the Chiefs while Holden King and Ross King split netminding duties for Grand Forks, with Ross starting and taking the loss after stopping 11 of 15 shots and Holden 7-for-10 in relief.
Kelowna was 2-for-8 on the power play while Grand Forks was 2-for-7.
Princeton 4, Spokane 2
At Spokane, Wash., Jaysen MacLean stopped a barrage of shots, making 55 saves, and Achille Casali and Aubrey Macleod scored in the third period as Princeton broke a 2-2 tie after two periods to defeat the Braves.
Noah Brusse and Lane French also scored for Princeton (5-4-0-0-0), which was outshot 57-27. Mark Oestreich and Bear Hughes replied for Spokane (5-3-0-0-2). The scores were 1-1 after the first and 2-2 after the second.
Princeton had no power play chances while Spokane was 0-for-5. The Braves had 18 shots on goal in the first, 24 in the second and 15 in the third. Princeton’s shot totals were 7, 10 and 10, respectively.
Kamloops 6, North Okanagan 3
At Kamloops, Brett Mero scored three times for the hosts as the Storm posted just their second win of the season.
Therann Kincross, Jacob Vautour and Tyler Maser also scored for Kamloops (2-8-0-1-0), which led 3-0 and 5-2 at the period breaks. Alec McLeod, with two goals, and Brett Harder scored for North Okanagan (2-6-0-1-0). Harder made it 5-1 late in the second period, with McLeod scoring just nine seconds later to make it 5-2. McLeod also closed out the scoring in the third.
Ethan Paulin-Hatch turned aside 33 of 36 shots for the Storm while Austin Made made 27 saves on 33 shots for the Knights. North Okanagan was 0-for-6 on the power play while Kamloops was 1-for-4.
Chase 3, Sicamous 1
At Sicamous, Geoff Drought was nigh unbeatable, stopping 39 of 40 shots, as the Heat downed the host Eagles.
Riley Keyes, Cam Watson and Wyatt Kelly scored for Chase (1-8-1-0-0). Justin Hodgson replied for Sicamous (3-6-2-0-1). Brett Akins started for Sicamous, stopping 9 of 10 shots, while Cole Steinke was 13-of-16 in relief. Chase was 2-for-5 on the power play while Sicamous was 0-for-1.
Summerland 2, Osoyoos 2
At Osoyoos, the visiting Steam and host Coyotes battled to a draw.
After a scoreless first period, Brandon Della Paolera opened the scoring in the second for Osoyoos (1-7-1-0-0), with Peter Michailides making it 2-1 in the third. Everett Scherger, who made it 1-1 in the first, and Cairo Rogers, who leveled the score in the third, replied for Summerland (5-6-1-0-0).
Jared Breitkreuz faced 39 shots for the Steam, stopping 37, while Bailey Monteith had a slightly busier night for the Coyotes, facing 45 shots and turning aside 43. Summerland was 1-for-10 on the power play while Osoyoos was 0-for-6.
In KIJHL action on Saturday, Princeton is in Castlegar (2-8-0-0-0), Osoyoos visits Nelson (9-1-0-1-0), Summerland travels to Kamloops, Sicamous is in Chase and Kelowna and North Okanagan tangle in Armstrong at 7:30 p.m.
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