A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
An embarrassing loss. That’s how the Kelowna Rockets opened a home-and-home series with the Kamloops Blazers on Friday on Friday.
At Kamloops, eight different Blazers lit the lamp, including four times in the first period, as they pasted Kelowna 8-1. Scoring for Kamloops (39-11-4-2) were Logan Stankoven, Matthew Seminoff, Logan Bairos, Jakub Demek, Caedan Bankier, Ryan Hofer, Connor Levis and Ryan Michael.
Scoring the lone goal for Kelowna (23-32-3-0), at 3:10 of the third to make it 6-1, was Ethan Neutens. It was his first goal of the season, and a short-handed effort as well.
Dylan Ernst stopped 21 shots for the Blazers, who outshot the Rockets 53-22. For Kelowna, Talyn Boyko started but was pulled after the first period. He finished with 15 saves on 19 shots. Jari Kykkanen stopped 30 of 34 shots in relief.
The Blazers were 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Rockets were 0-for-4.
In B.C. Division standings, Kamloops leads the five-team pack with 84 points while Kelowna is fourth with 49 points.
In Western Conference standings, Seattle is first with 94 points, Kamloops is second and Kelowna is eighth, holding down the last playoff spot. The Rockets are four points behind seventh-place Vancouver (53 points) and 12 points up on ninth-place Victoria (37 points).
The two teams meet again on Saturday night, but in Kelowna. Game time at Prospera Place is 7:05 p.m.
Friday’s results
- Red Deer 6, Brandon 3
- Everett 10, Portland 3
- Medicine Hat 5, Edmonton 2
- Lethbridge 3, Prince Albert 0
- Prince George 5, Spokane 2
- Regina 5, Winnipeg 3
- Saskatoon 4, Moose Jaw 1
- Seattle 4, Tri-City 1
- Vancouver 4, Victoria 2
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Winnipeg at Brandon, 5 p.m.
- Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 5 p.m.
- Red Deer at Regina, 5 p.m.
- Lethbridge at Saskatoon, 5 p.m.
- Swift Current at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
- Tri-City at Portland, 6 p.m.
- Spokane at Prince George, 6 p.m.
- Seattle at Everett, 6:05 p.m.
- Vancouver at Victoria, 6:05 p.m.
- Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s games (all times PT)
- Swift Current at Calgary, 1 p.m.
- Saskatoon at Regina, 2 p.m.
- Everett at Portland, 5 p.m.
- Tri-City at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
At Merritt, Aydar Suniev tallied a hat trick as the league-leading Penticton Vees outclassed the Centennials on Friday night.
Bradly Nadeau and Thomas Pichette, each with two goals, Josh Nadeau, Hiroki Gojsic, Beanie Richter, Ryan Hopkins, Frank Djurasevic and Billy Norcross also scored for Penticton (42-3-0-1-0), which led 6-0 and 7-0 at the period breaks.
Scoring the only goal for Merritt (11-31-3-2-0) was Aidan Lindblad, who made it 10-1 at 12:25 of the third. The Centennials, the league’s second-worst team, were also outshot 60-16.
Luca Di Pasquo stopped 15 shots for the Vees, with Conor Sullivan making 47 saves for the Centennials.
Penticton was 2-for-4 on the power play while Merritt was 0-for-3.
With the win, Penticton also clinched its second consecutive regular-season title. By placing first overall, the Vees will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
At Prince George, Ty Gagno scored twice, including the game-winning goal late in the third period, as the Spruce Kings edged the Vipers.
Jack Kurrie also scored for Prince George (24-18-4-1-0), which led 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 after the second. Gagno’s winning goal came at 17:31 of the third, on the power play.
Replying for Vernon (21-20-2-4-0) were Griffen Barr, at 17:01 of the second, and Connor Elliott, who levelled the game at 2-2 at 2:25 of the third.
Aidan Feddema stopped 19 of 21 shots for the Spruce Kings, while Roan Clark made 17 saves on 20 shots for the Vipers.
Prince George was 2-for-2 on the power play while Vernon was 0-for-3.
The two teams play again in Prince George on Saturday night.
At West Kelowna, the Bucks scored five unanswered goals in defeating, and easily outshooting, the Warriors on Friday night.
Bauer Morrissey, with two goals, Noah Quinn, Cooper Boulanger, Cameron Kungle, Blake Cotton and Kellan Hjartarson scored for Cranbrook (31-13-1-2-0), which led 2-0 and 5-1 at the period breaks and outshot their hosts 51-14.
Ben MacDonald, with his 20th goal of the season at 2:42 to make it 2-1, replied for West Kelowna (26-17-4-0-0).
Nathan Airey stopped 13 of 14 shots for the Bucks. For the Warriors, Cayden Hamming started but was pulled late in the second. He finished with 17 saves on 22 shots. Angelo Zol, who played the final 25 minutes in net, stopped 27 of 29 shots in relief.
Cranbrook was 2-for-9 on the power play while West Kelowna was 1-for-2.
Friday’s results
- Nanaimo 4, Cowichan Valley 3 (OT)
- Powell River 4, Victoria 3
- Chilliwack 6, Trail 1
- Surrey 4, Coquitlam 3 (SO)
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Cranbrook at Salmon Arm, 6 p.m.
- Chilliwack at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.
- Cowichan Valley at Alberni Valley, 7 p.m.
- West Kelowna at Merritt, 7 p.m.
- Victoria at Powell River, 7 p.m.
- Vernon at Prince George, 7 p.m.
- Penticton at Trail, 7 p.m.
- Surrey at Langley, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday’s games
- Surrey at Langley, 2:30 p.m.
- Cowichan Valley at Alberni Valley, 6 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFFS: SECOND ROUND
Friday’s results
- Fernie 4, Kimberley 0
- Princeton 3, North Okanagan 2 (OT)
- Revelstoke 3, Sicamous 1
- Creston Valley 4, Beaver Valley 3
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Fernie at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
- Fernie leads series 1-0
- Creston Valley at Beaver Valley, 7 p.m.
- Creston Valley leads series 1-0
- North Okanagan at Princeton, 7 p.m.
- Princeton leads series 1-0
- Sicamous at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
- Revelstoke leads series 1-0
Sunday’s games
- No games scheduled