A round-up of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
After a brief, three-day break, the Kelowna Rockets are back in action.
Tonight, the Rockets are hosting the Kamloops Blazers. Game time between the two B.C. Division rivals at Prospera Place is at 7:05 p.m.
In division standings, Kamloops (19-7-0-0) leads the five-team pack with 38 points. Kelowna (12-9-0-3) is tied for second at 27 points with Vancouver (13-12-1-0).
Despite the 11-point gap, the Rockets are a solid 3-0 this season against Kamloops, which was ranked fifth in this week’s CHL top-10 national rankings.
The Rockets defeated Kamloops 4-2 on Oct. 15, 3-2 on Nov. 10 and 4-3 on Dec. 4.
Two of those wins were at Prospera Place, where Kelowna is 8-3-0-1. The Blazers, though, are 12-4-0-0 in road games so far this season.
Earlier in the week, the Rockets snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 overtime win against Victoria. Notably, Kelowna was outshot 47-35 in that contest.
The Blazers’ last game was Friday, a 5-2 home-ice loss to Prince George (13-14-0-0). The Cougars iced the game with three unanswered goals in the third period to break a 2-2 deadlock after 40 minutes.
Kamloops, which outshot the Cougars 40-35, will be without forward Logan Stankoven and goalie Dylan Garand. Both are playing for Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer.
Traditionally, Kelowna usually closes out the first half of the season with a prairie road trip. This year, though, the WHL ruled there will be no inter-conference play during the regular season.
“Historically, we aren’t in Kelowna this time of the year; we’re normally on the road,” said Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton. “But this game tonight, it’ll have some bite to it and some people at it.
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“It’ll be a fast-paced game and every game we’ve had with them has been close. We’ve had good success so far, and I know they’ll have game in them tonight because Prince George beat them in Kamloops last night.
“I’m sure we’re going to see the real side of Kamloops, which is a very, very good team. But, so far, our team has risen to the occasion.”
Following the game, the Rockets will disperse on Sunday for the league’s annual Christmas break.
Friday Results
- Prince George 5, Kamloops 2
- Seattle 5, Everett 2
- Spokane 4, Portland 1
- Victoria 3, Tri-City 2
- Winnipeg 4, Brandon 3
- Edmonton 8, Swift Current 5
- Lethbridge 6, Medicine Hat 4
- Red Deer 3, Calgary 0
- Regina 6, Moose Jaw 5
- Saskatoon 3, Prince Albert 2
Saturday’s Games (all times PT)
- Swift Current at Edmonton, 3 p.m.
- Regina at Moose Jaw, 5 p.m.
- Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 5 p.m.
- Brandon at Winnipeg, 5 p.m.
- Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Seattle at Everett, 6:05 p.m.
- Prince George at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
- Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
- Tri-City at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s Games (all times PT)
- Red Deer at Calgary, 1 p.m.
- Tri-City at Vancouver, 2 p.m.
- Spokane at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Penticton, goaltender Mason Dunsford had an easy time between the posts on Friday night, making just 13 saves for a shutout, as the Vees pasted the visiting Vipers.
Finlay Williams, with two goals, Luc Wilson, Thomas Pichette, Stefano Bottini and Josh Nadeau scored for Penticton (20-2-0-1-0), which led 1-0 and 5-0 at the breaks.
The league-leading Vees outshot Vernon 46-13, including 14-1 in the third period.
Roan Clarke had 23 saves on 28 shots. Ethan David made 17 saves on 18 shots in relief, splitting the netminding duties for Vernon (6-12-3-3-0).
Penticton was 3-for-5 on the power play while Vernon was 0-for-3.
At Salmon Arm, the Silverbacks scored four consecutive goals to overcome a 2-0 deficit en route to a narrow win over the visiting Spruce Kings on Friday night.
Noah Serdachny, with a hat-trick, and Simon Tassy scored for Salmon Arm (19-4-1-0-0), which trailed 1-0 and 2-1 at the period breaks.
Austin Fraser, Kolton Cousins and John Herrington, who closed out the scoring at 19:11 of the third to make it 4-3, replied for Prince George (13-8-1-0-0).
Owen Say stopped 19 of 22 shots for the Silverbacks, while Aaron Trotter turned aside 36 of 40 shots for the Spruce Kings.
Salmon Arm was 2-for-6 on the power play while Prince George was 2-for-4.
Friday Results
- Chilliwack 4, Coquitlam 3
- Cowichan Valley 3, Nanaimo 1
- Alberni Valley 7, Surrey 2
- Cranbrook 5, Trail 3
- Wenatchee 6, Merritt 2
- Langley 4, Powell River 1
Saturday’s Games (all times PT)
- Prince George at Vernon, 6 p.m.
- Merritt at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
- Trail at Cranbrook, 6 p.m.
- Alberni Valley at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
- Powell River at Coquitlam, 7 p.m.
- Nanaimo at Victoria, 7 p.m.
- Penticton at West Kelowna, 7 p.m.
- Surrey at Langley, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday’s Game
- Powell River at Surrey, 4 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Friday Results
- Kimberley 3, Creston Valley 2
- Columbia Valley 8, Golden 2
- Grand Forks 2, Castlegar 1
- Kamloops 3, 100 Mile House 0
- Kelowna 4, Chase 3
- Osoyoos 3, Princeton 2
- Summerland 5, North Okanagan 3
Saturday’s Games (all times PT)
- Fernie at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
- Golden at Columbia Valley, 6 p.m.
- Castlegar at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m.
- Creston Valley at Grand Forks, 7 p.m.
- Sicamous at North Okanagan, 7 p.m.
- Kamloops at Chase, 7 p.m.
- Princeton at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
- Summerland at Osoyoos, 7:35 p.m.
Sunday’s Game
- Sicamous at Kamloops, 5 p.m.
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