Junior hockey: Warriors hold off Silverbacks, Vees blank Vipers

A roundup of junior hockey scores from the Okanagan and region.

B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

West Kelowna 3, Salmon Arm 2

A player on loan to West Kelowna had a strong outing for the Warriors in BCHL exhibition action on Friday night.

In his first game in Warriors colours, Jack Finley had a two-point outing, with a goal and an assist, as West Kelowna edged the host Salmon Arm Silverbacks 3-2.

Normally, Finley plays for the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, but with the major junior loop not starting play until Jan. 8, several of the league’s players are on loan to junior A teams across Western Canada.

A 6-foot-6 forward from Kelowna, Finley tallied 19 goals and 57 points in 61 games during his second season in the WHL. He was also selected in the second round, 57th overall by Tampa Bay in the 2020 NHL entry draft.

Matthew Stienburg and John Evans, with goals in the second period, also scored for West Kelowna (6-4-0-1).

Danny Ciccarello, who opened the scoring at 9:32 of the first period, and Simon Tassy replied for Salmon Arm (3-7-1-0).

Johnny Derrick stopped 24 of 26 shots for the Warriors, with Riley Kohonick turning aside 22 of 25 shots for the Silverbacks.

2:28 B.C. hockey player on a mission to make World Junior roster

West Kelowna was 1-for-5 on the power play while Salmon Arm was 0-for-4.

After Ciccarello scored to make it 1-0 for Salmon Arm, Finley levelled the score at 14:17, redirected a slap-pass on the power play.

In the second, Tassy made it 2-1 Silverbacks with a shorthanded, breakaway goal at 1:37. However, the Warriors quickly replied, with Stienburg making it 2-2 at 4:50.

Evans, with an assist going to Finley, closed out the scoring at 19:48 of the second.

1:17 Chilliwack Minor Hockey pauses season amid COVID-19

Penticton 4, Vernon 0

At Vernon, Tyler Ho scored twice for Penticton, with both markers coming in the third period, as the Vees rolled to their 10^th win in pre-season play.

Liam Malmquist and Matteo Costantini, with goals in the second following a scoreless first, also scored for Penticton (10-1-0-0).

Kaeden Lane stopped 25 shots for Penticton in posting the shutout, while Koen MacInnes stopped 28 of 32 shots for Vernon (3-5-1-2).

The Vees were 0-for-4 on the power play while the Vipers were 0-for-7.

Saturday’s games:

Vernon at Penticton, 6 p.m.

Salmon Arm at West Kelowna, 7 p.m.

1:57 Getting used to a new SJHL game day experience

KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE

Friday’s results

Nelson 3, Castlegar 0

Summerland 5, Princeton 1

Revelstoke 8, Golden 2

Osoyoos 4, Grand Forks 1

Kamloops 7, Chase 3

Saturday’s games

Columbia Valley at Fernie, 12:30 p.m.

Castlegar at Nelson, 7 p.m.

Revelstoke at Sicamous, 7 p.m.

Princeton at Summerland, 7:30 p.m.

North Okanagan at Kamloops, 7:30 p.m.

Grand Forks at Osoyoos, 7:35 p.m.