WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Kelowna 4, Victoria 0
The Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup next May.
On Friday night, they took their first steps in what will be a highly anticipated, but also much scrutinized, season.
At Prospera Place, Cole Tisdale and Cole Schwebius combined for a shutout as the Rockets blanked the Victoria Royals 4-0 in WHL preseason action.
Schwebius turned aside all nine shots he faced, with Tisdale going 5-for-5 as the Rockets outshot the Royals 25-14 in what was the first preseason game for both squads.
Alex Swetlikoff, Elias Carmichael, Dallon Wilton and Kyle Crosbie scored for Kelowna (1-0), which led 1-0 after the first and second periods.
After Swetlikoff scored at 7:33 of the first, Carmichael, Wilton and Crosbie put the game away in the third, with their three goals coming in a span of six and a half minutes.
Keegan Maddocks (11-for-12) and Connor Martin (10-for-13) were in net for Victoria (0-1).
Kelowna was 1-for-6 on the power play, while Victoria was 0-for-6.
On Sunday, Kelowna will visit the Kamloops Blazers (0-0). Game time is 2 p.m.
Next weekend, Kelowna will visit Everett (1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m., then host Prince George (0-0) on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 5:05 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
Penticton 5, Brooks 2
At Penticton, the Vees scored four unanswered goals to down the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits on Friday.
Tristan Amonte, who opened the scoring at 6:02 of the first period, David Silye, Lukas Sillinger, Vincent Nardone and Jackson Niedermayer scored for Penticton.
Corson Ceulemans and Trey Thomas replied for Brooks, which led 2-1 early in the second.
WATCH BELOW (Aired Aug. 29, 2019): Penticton Vees 2019 preview
Thomas made it 2-1 at 2:12 for Brooks, but Silye levelled the score at 3:17, with Sillinger making it 3-2 at 8:16. In the third, Nardone pushed Penticton’s lead to 5-2 at 3:04, with Niedermayer closing out the scoring with an empty-net marker at 19:39.
Yaniv Perets stopped 26 of 28 shots for Penticton, with Pierce Charleson turning aside 14 of 18 shots.
The Vees were 1-for-7 on the power play while the Bandits were 1-for-9.
Trail 2, West Kelowna 1
At Trail, the host Smoke Eaters outshot the Warriors 35-19 in a one-goal win.
Liam Freeborn, who made it 1-1 at 12:23 of the second, and Owen Ozar, at 15:19 of the third, scored for Trail (2-1). Hayden Gelbard, who opened the scoring at 3:30 of the first, replied for West Kelowna (1-4).
WATCH BELOW (Aired Aug. 27, 2019): West Kelowna Warriors 2019 preview
Johnny Derrick had a busy night between the pipes for West Kelowna, making 33 saves. His Trail counterpart, Donovan Buskey, had an easier evening, with just 18 saves.
The Warriors were 0-for-4 on the power play while the Smokies were 1-for-6.
Other BCHL from Friday night:
- Merritt 4, Prince George 3
- Salmon Arm 4, Vernon 2
In BCHL preseason action for Saturday, Aug. 31, Penticton will host Brooks at 6 p.m., with Trail visiting West Kelowna at 7 p.m.
KIJHL
Friday night results:
- Kelowna 3, Summerland 3
Saturday’s games
- Golden at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
- Kamloops at Sicamous, 7 p.m.
- North Okanagan at Chase, 7 p.m.
- Kelowna at Summerland, 7:30 p.m.