A round-up of results from junior hockey teams in the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Regina 4, Kelowna 3
At Regina, the struggling Pats posted just their fourth home-ice win of the season with a narrow victory over the Rockets on Friday night.
Caiden Daley, Zach Wytinck, Kyle Walker and Ryker Evans scored for the Pats (8-18-3-0), who have just 10 points (4-9-2-0) in 15 home games this season.
Pavel Novak, who opened the scoring at 7:58 of the first period, Matthew Wedman and Mark Liwiski replied for Kelowna (17-10-1-2). The game was tied 1-1 after the first period, with the Rockets trailing 3-1 after the second.
Wedman made it 3-2 at 11:45 of the third with a power-play goal, but Evans restored Regina’s two-goal lead at 13:24. Two minutes after that, Liwiski made it 4-3 with a shorthanded marker to close out the scoring.
Max Paddock stopped 36 of 39 shots for the Pats, with Roman Basran turning aside 28 of 32 shots for the Rockets.
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Regina was 1-for-7 on the power play while Kelowna was 1-for-4.
The setback was the Rockets’ second in a row on their six-game East Division road trip. On Wednesday, Kelowna lost 3-1 in Winnipeg (18-12-1-0).
The Rockets, who opened the prairie swing with three straight wins, close out their trip on Saturday night in Moose Jaw (10-17-1-0).
Normally, the Rockets book their annual December prairie trip just before the league’s two-week Christmas break. Many of Kelowna’s players are from the prairies, and ending the trip in either Alberta or Saskatchewan allows shorter trips home than from B.C.
This year, however, it’ll be a full bus home instead of being mostly empty, as the Rockets will host Vancouver (14-13-1-1) on Wednesday, Dec. 18, before taking time off for Christmas.
In other WHL news, the B.C. Division-leading Kamloops Blazers (20-9-2-1) stretched their lead over second-place Kelowna with a 5-2 win over Saskatoon (14-15-1-2) on Friday night.
The Blazers, who have 43 points, are also touring the East Division. They are 3-0-2-0 and have garnered 8 out of a possible 10 points.
The Rockets, who have 37 points, are 3-2-0-0 and have 6 points out of 10.
Kamloops, which has played two more games than Kelowna, closes out its trip on Saturday in Prince Albert (20-7-3-1).
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
Vernon 2, Penticton 0
At Vernon, James Porter was unbeatable between the pipes, posting a 42-save shutout, as the Vipers blanked the high-scoring Vees on Friday night.
Seiya Tanaka-Campbell, who opened the scoring at 1:48 of the first, and Trey Taylor, who closed out the scoring at 18:06 of the third, scored for Vernon (19-12-1-1).
Carl Stankowski stopped 16 for Penticton (25-10-1-0), a the Vees outshot the Vipers 42-18.
The Vees are second league-wise in points with 51, and are tied for second with the most goals at 129. Coquitlam (29-5-0-0) leads the league in points, with Trail (21-12-2-1) having scored the most goals at 132.
Both Vernon and Penticton were 0-for-1 on the power play.
The two longtime rivals meet again Saturday night, this time in Penticton.
Wenatchee 6, Salmon Arm 5
At Wenatchee, a late goal capped a back-and-forth game as the Wild outlasted the visiting Silverbacks.
Tyler Young, Brett Chorske, Sam Morton, Hunter Hastings, Brian Adams and Noah Lugli scored for Wenatchee (17-15-3-1), which led 3-0 after the first period but trailed 4-3 after 40 minutes.
Noah Wakeford, with two goals, Lucas Breault, Simon Tassy and Zach Gabruch replied for Salmon Arm (19-14-1-1).
Wenatchee leaped ahead 5-4 in the third with goals by Hastings at 15:57 and Adams at 16:25, only to have Wakeford level the game for Salmon Arm with his second of the night at 17:31. The Silverbacks’ lead lasted 31 seconds, though, with Lugli netting the game winner at 18:02.
Daniel Chenard stopped 20 of 25 shots for the Wild, with Ethan Langenegger making 24 saves on 30 shots for the Silverbacks.
Wenatchee was 1-for-3 on the power play while Salmon Arm was 1-for-2.
Trail 4, West Kelowna 3
At Trail, the Smoke Eaters scored early and often, lighting the lamp four consecutive times in the first period for a 4-0 lead, en route to defeating the Warriors.
Cody Schiavon, who opened the scoring at 1:23 of the first, Tyler Ghirardosi, with two goals, and Philippe Lapointe scored for Trail (21-12-2-1). The Smoke Eaters scored their goals in the first 11 minutes of the game.
John Evans, with two goals, and Brendan Pigeon replied for West Kelowna (5-22-4-2), which trailed 4-1 and 4-3 at the period breaks. The third period was scoreless.
Logan Terness stopped 23 of 26 shots for Trail, with Johnny Derrick and Brock Baier splitting netminding duties for West Kelowna. Derrick started but lasted just 3:09, giving up two goals on five shots. Baier played the remaining 56:15, stopping 35 of 37 shots.
Trail was 1-for-5 on the power play while West Kelowna was 1-for-3.
Saturday’s Games
- Vernon (19-12-1-1) at Penticton (25-10-1-0), 6 p.m.
- Wenatchee (17-15-3-1) at West Kelowna (5-22-4-2), 6 p.m.
Sunday’s Game
- Trail (21-12-2-1) at Salmon Arm (19-14-1-1), 3 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Friday’s Results
- Fernie 8, North Okanagan 4
- 100 Mile House 6, Sicamous 2
- Castlegar 4, Grand Forks 2
- Princeton 4, Kamloops 2
- Revelstoke 5, Nelson 3
- Beaver Valley 4, Kelowna 3
- Osoyoos 4, Chase 3
Saturday’s Games
- North Okanagan (9-16-0-0-4) at Kimberley (24-3-0-0-1), 6 p.m.
- Chase (18-8-0-0-2) at Princeton (14-10-1-0-3), 7 p.m.
- 100 Mile House (14-13-1-0-0) at Revelstoke (20-3-1-0-2), 7 p.m.
- Grand Forks (10-17-0-0-2) at Castlegar (7-16-0-0-4), 7 p.m.
- Summerland (12-14-0-0-4) at Kelowna (20-6-1-0-0), 7 p.m.
- Beaver Valley (17-4-2-0-3) at Osoyoos (5-20-1-0-2), 7:35 p.m.
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