A round-up of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
In a closely played game, Dyland Garand was the difference, as the Rockets couldn’t beat the Blazers’ netminder in the shootout on Friday night.
Garand, a member of Team Canada for the 2022 World Juniors that was cancelled, turned aside 37 of 39 shots for Kamloops (42-14-2-0), which won its seventh consecutive game, and third straight against the Rockets.
The two rivals are three-quarters the way through an odd scheduling quirk that has them playing each other four times in a row. The four-game set wraps up Saturday night at 7 p.m. in Kamloops, with the Blazers looking for a sweep.
Quinn Schmiemann, with a power-play goal at 5:08 of the first period, and Connor Levis, who made it 2-2 at 13:39 of the second, scored in regulation time for Kamloops. Matthew Seminoff notched the only goal in the shootout.
Colton Dach, with his 20th and 21st goals of the season, replied for Kelowna (34-15-1-5), which now trails first-place Kamloops by 12 points in B.C. Division standings.
In the shootout, Kelowna’s shooters went 0-for-3, with two missing wide on backhand dekes, and the third failing to go five-hole.
Kamloops was 1-for-5 on the power play while Kelowna was 1-for-3.
In the first three games of the four-game set, Kamloops has outscored Kelowna 11-7, with Garand stopping 96 of 103 shots. His Rockets counterpart, Talyn Boyko, has stopped 99 of 108 shots, including 33 of 37 on Friday night.
Friday’s results
- Seattle 3, Tri-City 1
- Vancouver 5, Everett 3
- Victoria 6, Prince George 2
- Edmonton 4, Calgary 1
- Lethbridge 5, Red Deer 2
- Swift Current 5, Medicine Hat 1
- Winnipeg 4, Brandon 3
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Winnipeg at Brandon, 5 p.m.
- Regina at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m.
- Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 6 p.m.
- Lethbridge at Red Deer, 6 p.m.
- Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Vancouver at Everett, 6:05 p.m.
- Portland at Seattle, 6:05 p.m.
- Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
- Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
- Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s games
- Spokane at Everett, 4 p.m.
- Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Cranbrook, Noah Quinn tallied a three-point game, with two goals and an assist for the home side, as the Bucks knocked off the league-leading Vees on Friday night.
Bauer Morrissey, Luke Pfoh and Jarrod Smith also scored for Cranbrook (28-19-2-3-0), which scored three unanswered goals in the last half of the third period to win.
Morrissey opened the scoring at 3:54 of the first period, with Pfoh making it 2-1 with the only goal in the second. In the third, Quinn scored back-to-back goals at 10:07 and 12:50, with Smith rounding out the scoring at 19:41.
Ryan Hopkins, who made it 1-1 at 4:19 of the first, and Spencer Smith, who made it 2-2 at 1:20 of the third, replied for Penticton (40-8-0-2-0).
Nathan Airey stopped 32 of 34 shots for the Bucks, with Kaeden Lane turning aside 19 of 24 shots for the Vees.
Cranbrook was 1-for-2 on the power play while Penticton was 0-for-1.
At Merritt, the Warriors wasted little time in bashing the hapless Centennials, scoring four times in the first period en route to a six-goal victory.
Chase Dafoe, with two goals, Charles-Alexis Legault, Brennan Nelson, Tyler Cristall, Cameron Hicklin and Christophe Farmer scored for West Kelowna (34-16-1-0-0), which won its seventh straight game.
Jackson Krill, at 2:53 of the second period, had the only goal for Merritt (3-43-2-2-0), which trailed 4-0 and 5-1 at the period breaks and has just 10 points in 50 games this season.
Justin Katz stopped 22 of 23 shots for the Warriors, with Jackson Baker and Peyton Trzaska splitting net duties for the Centennials. Baker stopped 4 of 8 shots before being pulled just six minutes into the first, with Trzaska stopping 31 of 34 in relief.
West Kelowna was 0-for-5 on the power play while Merritt was 0-for-3.
At Prince George, Noah Serdachny capped an unbelievable comeback by the Silverbacks, as Salmon Arm scored six unanswered goals in rallying from a 5-0 deficit to defeat the Spruce Kings on Friday night.
Zack Smith, with two goals, Simon Tassy, Owen Desilets and Brandon Santa Juana scored in regulation time for Salmon Arm (36-10-4-2-0).
The Silverbacks trailed 2-0 after the first period, 4-0 after the second and 5-0 at 6:56 of the third. But at 8:48, Smith got Salmon Arm’s offence rolling with his first of the night.
Tassy made it 5-2 at 12:49, with Desilets making it 5-3 at 17:37 with a shorthanded breakaway marker, and Santa Juana, with the goalie pulled, jamming home a rebound to close the gap to one at 18:51. Then, at 19:16, with the goalie pulled again, Smith scored his second of the night, tipping in a shot to level the game.
In overtime, Serdachny ripped home a pass from Tassy at 3:01 to complete the comeback. Tassy finished the night with a goal and three assists, with Serdachny tallying a goal and an assist.
Rowan Miller, Nick Rheaume, Nathan Fox, John Herrington and Luc Layin replied for Prince George (26-15-4-8-0).
Liam Vanderkooi stopped 36 of 40 shots for the Silverbacks, with Aaron Trotter turning aside 23 of 28 shots for the Spruce Kings.
Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.
Friday’s results
- Coquitlam 5, Alberni Valley 3
- Chilliwack 6, Surrey 2
- Cowichan Valley 6, Victoria 2
- Wenatchee 3, Trail 1
Saturday’s games
- Penticton at Cranbrook, 6 p.m.
- Merritt at Vernon, 6 p.m.
- Trail at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
- Powell River at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
- Nanaimo at Cowichan Valley, 7 p.m.
- Salmon Arm at Prince George, 7 p.m.
- Coquitlam at Victoria, 7 p.m.
- Alberni Valley at Langley, 7:15 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFFS, THIRD ROUND
Friday’s results
- Nelson 4, Kimberley 1
- (Kimberley leads series 2-1)
- Revelstoke 3, Osoyoos 1
- (Revelstoke leads series 3-0)
Saturday’s games
- Kimberley at Nelson, 7 p.m.
- Osoyoos at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s game
- Revelstoke at Osoyoos, 7:35 p.m.
- (If necessary)
Comments