Junior hockey Sunday roundup: Rockets edge Tigers, Vees lose to Trail

A round-up of Saturday night results from junior hockey teams in the Okanagan.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Medicine Hat 2, Kelowna 1

After losing two games in a row, the Kelowna Rockets made a comeback and edged the Medicine Hat Tigers 2-1 at the Canalta Centre on Saturday night.

The Rockets would take a 1-0 lead after Medicine Hat forward Bryan Lockner played the puck into his own net.

The Rockets scored their second goal in the second period on a power play and Kelowna entered the intermission with a 2-0 lead.

Tiger’s Captain James Hamblin put Medicine Hat on the board in the third period. That is as close as the Tigers would get, as the Rockets would go on to win 2-1.

Kelowna’s record improves to 16-17-2-0.

Roman Basran turned aside 31 of the 32 shots he faced, his jumps to 11-10-1-0. The Tigers outshot the Rockets 32-20.

Kelowna is now on their Christmas break. They’ll return to play a home and home series with the Kamloops Blazers at the Sandman Centre on Friday, December 28th.

The Rockets will host the Blazers the next night at Prospera Place.

B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

 Trail 3, Penticton 2

 At Penticton, the Vees said a late controversial goal cost Penticton the game on Saturday night again the Trail Smoke Eaters in a 3-2 loss.

The Smoke Eaters set the pace early and two goals in the first period.

As soon as the puck dropped in the second period, the Vees looked like a completely different team. Pushing the pace, they would outshoot the Smoke Eaters 22-12 over the final 40 minutes.

Cassidy Bowes got the Vees on the board six minutes into the period by taking a pass from Eric Linell and dropping to one knee to hammer a one timer into the top corner.

Cole Shepard then scored on a similar play two and a half minutes later by taking a feed from Andre Ghantous and beating Marcoux five hole from the slot to even the game.

The Penticton Vees said in a press release that controversy struck with the game tied into the third period.

“Trail was pressuring in the Vees zone before Stevenson carried it down the wing and to the net. LaFontaine was bumped in the crease and turned around,” said the release.

“After recovering, LaFontaine made a save off a shot from the slot and reached out to try and cover the rebound. He was bumped for a second time, knocking his stick out of his hand, and the puck popped loose to Dimurro who scored his second of the game,” it said.

The goal caused frustration on the Vees bench and resulted with Fred Harbinson being ejected from the game.

The Vees were unable to find the tying goal for a second time.

The Vees now prepare for Wednesday’s home game against Vernon in which they can expect more bodies in the lineup.

The three players will return from the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge and Lukas Sillinger has served his four-game suspension.

Powell River 6, Merritt 5

The Merritt Centennials got into a special teams battle with the Powell River Kings but the Cents fell 605 on Saturday night at Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.

The Cents started out strong with two goals on a power play in the first period.

Powell River captain Nick Wicks found the back of the net to make it 2-1 after the first period.

Early in the second, the King’s Ryan Brushett scored to tie the game at 2-2.

Late in the frame Brendan Schneider would make it 4-2.

In the third period the King’s began to flex their might as Jaydon Lee tied the game at 4 and Brushett added another goal on the powerplay. The Kings took their first lead 5-4.

The Cents answered as Matt Kopperud tied it up 5-5.

The Kings managed to net the game winning goal.

The Cents next play the Trail Smoke Eaters in a home-and-home next weekend.

Cowichan Valley 6, Salmon Arm 3  

Salmon Arm had 10 power plays in the game and were able to score twice but it wasn’t enough as the Cowichan Capitals came to the Shaw Centre and won 6-3.

On their Teddy Bear toss night, the Silverbacks allowed the first two goals of the game in the third period.

On a late power play the Silverbacks would eventually make the teddy bears fly. Hudson Schandor ripped the puck in to get Salmon Arm within one.

A power play goal for Cowichan Valley gave the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Noah Wakeford hacked in his fourth goal in the last five games to get Salmon Arm within one. Justin Wilson beat Caps netminder Jack Grant to tie the game at three.

A goal with 2:35 left in the game gave Cowichan the go-ahead goal. 27 seconds later the Capitals pushed it out with Brady Lynn scoring on a breakaway for his second of the game. He would score into an empty net to complete the hat trick and give Cowichan a 6-3 win.

Salmon Arm will host the Vernon Vipers Sunday afternoon for the third and final time this regular season.

KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

 Grand Forks 3, Castlegar 2

The Grand Forks Border Bruins defeated the Castlegar Rebels in KIJHL action at the Castlegar Complex on Saturday night.

No scoring in the first period, but the Rebel’s Jesse Belley got the first goal of the night 9:54 into the second period. It was answered by the Bruin’s Josh Garlough-Bell in the second.

The Bruin’s Josh Garlough-Bell and Nathan Cohen-Wallis scored in the third to put them ahead 3-1. Hunter Maximnuk responded with a goal for the Bruins with 6:36 left in the third period but it wasn’t enough.

Sicamous 5, Kamloops 2

The Sicamous Eagles defeated the Kamloops Storm 5-2 on Saturday night at the Sicamous & District Recreation Centre.

Revelstoke 4, Princeton 0

The Revelstoke Grizzlies blitzed the Princeton Posse 4-0 on Saturday night at the Revelstoke Forum.

The goals came from Matt Cadden, Tommy Bodtker, Jon Vandermolen, and Ryan Pereverzoff.

100 Mile House 2, Osoyoos 1

The 100 Mile House Wranglers defeated the Osyoos Coyotes 2-1 at the Osoyoos Sun Bowl on Saturday night.

There was no scoring in the first or second period but the board lit up in the third.

The Wrangler’s Garrett Hilton scored a goal at 15:34 followed by Garrett Hilton. Blake Astorino responded for the Coyotes with just 1:39 of play left in the game but it wasn’t enough.

Some good news, Bryson Rody has been released from the hospital, but he’s suffered a neck injury that will require rest and immobilization.

“We wish Bryson a speedy recovery over the break & send him best wishes from fans and the Coyotes organization,” said a tweet from the organization.

“We would like to thank the BC Ambulance attendants for their skillful care with Bryson’s neck injury and to the personnel who kept him still and did not move him until they arrived, as well as the doctors and nurses who tended to him,” the tweet went on the say.

Rody was injured during Friday night’s game in Kelowna against the Chiefs.