A round-up of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
The Kelowna Rockets were down, but not out, as they rallied from a two-goal deficit by scoring three unanswered markers to defeat the Royals on Friday night.
Pavel Novak, Mark Liwiski, Max Graham, Tyson Feist and Gabriel Szturc, with the game-winner in overtime, scored for Kelowna (32-14-4-1), which improved to 9-1 this season against Victoria.
The Rockets opened the scoring just six minutes into the first period but trailed 2-1 after 20 minutes and 3-2 after 40 minutes. The Royals increased their lead to 4-2 just seven minutes into the third, but Kelowna came back, with Graham scoring at 10:50, followed by Feist at 13:46 to make it 4-4.
Szturc’s game-winner was at 1:29 of overtime, a great backhand fake on a two-on-one that brought the hometown crowd to its feet. The shot was Kelowna’s 50th of the game.
Gannon Laroque, Tanner Scott, Bailey Peach, with his team-leading 29th goal, and Wyatt Wilson replied for Victoria (15-31-5-1).
Talyn Boyko stopped 24 of 28 shots for the Rockets, with Campbell Arnold making 45 saves for the Royals.
Victoria was 2-for-3 on the power play while Kelowna had no power-play chances.
The game was also the first of three in three nights for the Rockets, who host Vancouver (20-26-3-0) on Saturday night, then visit the Giants on Sunday afternoon in Langley.
The Rockets are 3-3-1-0 against Vancouver, while the Giants’ record against the Rockets is 4-2-1-0. In their last two meetings, Jan. 28 and 29, Kelowna beat Vancouver 6-0 and 3-1.
Friday’s results
- Portland 4, Everett 2
- Spokane 4, Prince George 3
- Seattle 3, Tri-City 1
- Kamloops 4, Vancouver 3
- Brandon 6, Lethbridge 3
- Edmonton 7, Calgary 2
- Prince Albert 5, Moose Jaw 3
- Red Deer 3, Regina 2
- Winnipeg 4, Saskatoon 3
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Edmonton at Calgary, 1 p.m.
- Brandon at Moose Jaw, 5 p.m.
- Winnipeg at Prince Albert, 5 p.m.
- Red Deer at Saskatoon, 5 p.m.
- Lethbridge at Regina, 5 p.m.
- Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Tri-City at Portland, 6 p.m.
- Seattle at Everett, 6:05 p.m.
- Victoria at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
- Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m.
- Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s games
- Kelowna at Vancouver, 4 p.m.
- Tri-City at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
The Penticton Vees stretched their lead atop the Interior Division to seven points after defeating the Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday night.
At the South Okanagan Events Centre, Aydar Suniev scored twice as the Vees (38-7-0-2-0) built up leads of 2-1 and 3-1 while outshooting the Spruce Kings 36-19. Casey McDonald had Penticton’s third goal, an empty-netter at 19:13 of the third period.
Nick Rheaume, who opened the scoring at 1:09 of the first with a power-play goal, and Simon Labelle, who closed out the scoring at 19:58 of the third during a six-on-three power play, replied for Prince George (25-13-3-8-0).
Carter Serhyenko stopped 17 shots, with the Vees limiting Prince George to just three shots in the third. Aaron Trotter stopped 33 of 35 shots for the Spruce Kings.
Penticton was 1-for-7 on the power play while Prince George was 2-for-6.
In Interior Division standings, first-place Penticton now has 78 points, seven more than second-place Salmon Arm (33-8-4-1-0), which was idle on Friday night.
Six weeks ago, Salmon Arm was in first place with 48 points, with Penticton second at 46. Since then, however, the Vees have lost just once, 3-2 to Prince George on Feb. 19 despite outshooting the Spruce Kings 39-24.
Meanwhile, the Silverbacks have lost seven times since then: four in regulation, two in overtime and once in a shootout. That span also includes losses of 2-1, 3-2 and 1-0 to Penticton in February.
At Trail, John Evans scored twice as the Warriors rolled past the Smoke Eaters on Friday night.
Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero, Christophe Farmer and Nicolas Ardanaz also scored for West Kelowna (28-16-1-0-0), which led 4-2 after 40 minutes following a 1-1 first-period tie.
Quinn Disher and Teddy Lagerback replied for Trail (17-23-2-2-0), which was outshot 41-30.
Johnny Derrick stopped 28 shots for the Warriors. For the Smokies, starter Evan Fradette turned aside 33 of 37 shots, with backup Ethan Shebansky stopping three of four shots.
West Kelowna was 3-for-6 on the power play while Trail was 0-for-7.
At Merritt, the Vipers showed no mercy in crushing the struggling Centennials on Friday night.
Luke Buss, with a hat trick, Jack Glen, with two goals, Tyler Chan, JoJo Tanaka-Campbell, Cade McNelly and Griffen Barr scored for Vernon (23-17-4-3-0), which led 2-0 and 5-0 at the period breaks.
Roan Clarke stopped all 22 shots he faced in earning the shutout. For the Centennials, starter John Hicks stopped 18 of 25 shots before being pulled early in the third, with Jackson Baker stopping 12 of 14 shots in relief.
Vernon was 1-for-2 on the power play while Merritt was 0-for-3.
Friday’s results
- Surrey 8, Cowichan Valley 5
- Nanaimo 6, Chilliwack 3
- Victoria 3, Powell River 2
- Coquitlam 4, Langley 2
Saturday’s games
- Trail at Penticton, 6 p.m.
- Merritt at Salmon Arm, 6 p.m.
- Cranbrook at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
- Surrey at Alberni Valley, 7 p.m.
- Chilliwack at Cowichan Valley, 7 p.m.
- Victoria at Powell River, 7 p.m.
- Prince George at West Kelowna, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s games
- Surrey at Nanaimo, 2 p.m.
- Chilliwack at Alberni Valley, 4 p.m.
- Cranbrook at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFFS
Friday’s results
- Columbia Valley 2, Kimberley 1
- Revelstoke 3, Kamloops 2
- Nelson 5, Beaver Valley 3
- Osoyoos 4, Summerland 3
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Columbia Valley at Kimberley, 6:30 p.m.
- Kamloops at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
- Beaver Valley at Nelson, 7 p.m.
- Summerland at Osoyoos, 8:05 p.m.
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled
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