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Junior hockey: Rockets fall to Royals, Vees lose 1st game of season

Kelowna Rockets centre Max Graham, left, and Victoria Royals goalie Nicholas Cristiano both eye the puck during WHL action at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C., on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. Victoria won 3-2. Steve Dunsmoor / Kelowna Rockets

A roundup of junior hockey teams from the Okanagan and area.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

VICTORIA 3, KELOWNA 2

At Kelowna, the Royals raced out to an early 3-0 lead, then hung on for a narrow win over the Rockets on Friday night.

Alex Thacker, with the game’s first goal just 93 seconds into the contest, Tanner Scott and former Rocket Jake Poole scored for Victoria (5-21-3-0), which led 3-0 and 3-1 at the period breaks.

Logan Peskett, late in the second, and Max Graham, eight minutes into the third, replied for Kelowna (10-13-2-0), which held its annual teddy bear toss.

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Nicholas Cristiano, another former Rocket, stopped 31 of 33 shots for the Royals. For Kelowna, starter Talyn Boyko stopped 7 of 10 shots before being pulled, with Jari Kykkanan going 20-for-20 in relief.

Victoria was 1-for-3 on the power play while Kelowna was 0-for-1.

On Saturday, the Rockets will visit the Vancouver Giants (10-13-3-2), who will hold their teddy bear toss.

Following that, the team will return home, then venture on a three-game prairie road trip, where they’ll visit Swift Current (Dec. 14), Lethbridge (Dec. 16) and Medicine Hat (Dec. 17) before dispersing for the league’s annual Christmas break.

Kelowna’s next home game will be Tuesday, Dec. 27 against Kamloops.

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Friday’s results

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  • Seattle 3, Everett 2
  • Kamloops 2, Vancouver 1
  • Lethbridge 5, Medicine Hat 3
  • Moose Jaw 9, Calgary 2
  • Regina 3, Prince Albert 2
  • Red Deer 4, Edmonton 2
  • Tri-City 4, Prince George 3
  • Winnipeg 6, Spokane 3

Saturday’s games (all times PT)

  • Spokane at Brandon, 5 p.m.
  • Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.
  • Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 5 p.m.
  • Calgary at Regina, 5 p.m.
  • Red Deer at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
  • Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
  • Lethbridge at Swift Current, 6 pm.
  • Prince George at Tri-City, 6:05 p.m.
  • Victoria at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
  • Kelowna at Vancouver, 7 p.m.

Sunday’s games

  • Calgary at Brandon, 2 p.m.
  • Regina at Winnipeg, 3:05 p.m.
  • Everett at Portland, 5 p.m.
  • Vancouver at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
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B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

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WENATCHEE 2, PENTICTON 1

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The Vees’ perfect start to the season came to an end on Friday night.

At Wenatchee, goalie Owen Millward was nigh unbeatable, stopping 43 of 44 shots, as the Wild upended league-leading Penticton 2-1.

The Vees were undefeated heading into last night’s road game, having won all 24 games they had played.

Christian Kim scored both goals for Wenatchee (10-13-0-2-0). His first was at 11:06 of the first period, with the second coming at 4:32 of the third.

Spencer Smith, at 12:52, replied for Penticton (24-1-0-0-0). Luca Di Pasquo stopped 17 shots for the Vees.

The Vees outshot the Wild 11-6 in the first, 15-8 in the second and 18-5 in the third.

Penticton was 0-for-3 on the power play while Wenatchee had no power-play chances.

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CRANBROOK 5, WEST KELOWNA 2

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At Cranbrook, the Warriors surrendered three goals in the middle period en route to a three-goal loss to the Bucks on Friday night.

Jack Henry, with two goals, Nick Peluso, Jaden Fodchuk and Donovan Frias scored for Cranbrook (16-8-1-0-0), which led 2-1 and 5-1 at the period breaks.

Rylee Hlusiak, at 8:09 of the first to make it 1-1, and Jaiden Moriello, who closed out the scoring at 15:01 of the third, replied for West Kelowna (15-7-3-0-0).

Nathan Airey stopped 34 of 36 shots for the Bucks. For the Warriors, starter Justin Katz stopped 14 of 18 shots before being pulled midway through the second. Angelo Zol was 12-of-13 in relief.

VERNON 5, SALMON ARM 2

At Vernon, Luke Pakulak scored twice as the Vipers downed the visiting Silverbacks on Friday night.

Connor Welsh, Jonathan Horn and Hank Cleaves, with an empty-net goal, also scored for Vernon (11-10-0-4-0), which led 2-1 and 4-2 at the period breaks.

Ethan Ullrick, who opened the scoring at 5:52 of the first, and William Lavinge, at 15:51 of the second to make it 4-2, replied for Salmon Arm (14-10-1-1-0).

Roan Clarke turned aside 24 of 26 shots for the Vipers. For the Silverbacks, starter Matthew Tovell stopped 13 of 17 shots before being pulled early in the second. Carter Richardson was 4-for-4 in relief.

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Vernon was 1-for-2 on the power play while Salmon Arm was 0-for-3.

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Friday’s results

  • Nanaimo 5, Alberni Valley 4
  • Coquitlam 5, Victoria 4
  • Trail 2, Merritt 1
  • Powell River 4, Surrey 1
  • Prince George 6, Cowichan Valley 3
  • Langley 4, Chilliwack 1

Saturday’s games (all times PT)

  • Vernon at Salmon Arm, 5 p.m.
  • Victoria at Chilliwack, 6 p.m.
  • Penticton at Cranbrook, 6 p.m.
  • Coquitlam at Alberni Valley, 7 p.m.
  • Cowichan Valley at Merritt, 7 p.m.
  • Surrey at Powell River, 7 p.m.
  • West Kelowna at Trail, 7 p.m.

Sunday’s games

  • Coquitlam at Nanaimo, 2 p.m.
  • Victoria at Langley, 2:30 p.m.
  • West Kelowna at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.
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KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

Friday’s results

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  • Kimberley 4, Fernie 3 (OT)
  • Columbia Valley 3, Revelstoke 3 (SO)
  • Golden 8, Nelson 3
  • 100 Mile House 4, Sicamous 3
  • Osoyoos 5, Chase 3
  • Kelowna 2, North Okanagan 1
  • Princeton 4, Creston Valley 1
  • Grand Forks 5, Summerland 1
  • Beaver Valley 2, Castlegar 1

Saturday’s games (all times PT)

  • Nelson at Columbia Valley, 6 p.m.
  • Golden at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
  • Revelstoke at Fernie, 6:30 p.m.
  • North Okanagan at 100 Mile House, 7 p.m.
  • Sicamous at Chase, 7 p.m.
  • Princeton at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
  • Creston Valley at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
  • Grand Forks at Castlegar, 7 p.m.
  • Summerland at Osoyoos, 7:35 p.m.

Sunday’s games

  • No games scheduled.
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