A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
In a game that had little meaning, the game-winning goal was scored with little time left.
At Langley, Samuel Honzek scored his second goal of the game, with just three seconds remaining in regulation time, as the Giants rallied to defeat Kelowna 3-2 on Friday night.
Both of Honzek’s goals came in the third period, as Vancouver (28-31-5-3, 64 points) overcame a 2-1 deficit after 40 minutes to win the first of back-to-back games between the two B.C. Division rivals.
Skyler Bruce, at 5:12 of the second period to make it 1-1, had Vancouver’s other goal before a crowd of 4,417 at the Langley Events Centre.
Andrew Cristall, with his team-leading 39th goal of the season, and Kayden Longley replied for Kelowna (26-37-4-0, 56 points). Both Rockets goals came in the second after a scoreless first period.
Brett Mirwald stopped 24 of 26 shots for the Giants, with Talyn Boyko turning aside 17 of 20 shots for the Rockets.
Vancouver was 1-for-2 on the power play while Kelowna was 0-for-2.
In Western Conference standings, Friday’s result had no effect. The Rockets will finish in eighth and will face top-seeded Seattle (54-10-1-2, 111 points) in the first round of the playoffs, while seventh-place Vancouver will finish seventh and face second-ranked Kamloops (48-13-4-2, 102 points).
The two teams will round out their regular-season schedules on Saturday night in Kelowna.
In other WHL action from Friday night, fourth-place Prince George (36-24-6-1m 79 points) stunned Kamloops 7-2 as the Cougars outshot the Blazers 37-36 despite a 23-point difference in the standings.
Kamloops opened the scoring just 1:43 in the first period, but the Cougars roared back and made it 3-1 before the frame was over.
They added a pair in the second, then another early in the third for a 6-1 lead before the Blazers scored to make it 6-2 with 10 minutes left. Arjun Bawa rounded out the scoring at 16:12 to seal the win.
Friday’s results
- Winnipeg 3, Brandon 2
- Victoria 6, Everett 4
- Prince George 7, Kamloops 2
- Lethbridge 6, Red Deer 4
- Seattle 7, Portland 3
- Moose Jaw 5, Prince Albert 3
- Saskatoon 3, Regina 2
- Swift Current 3, Medicine Hat 1
- Tri-City 7, Spokane 4
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Calgary at Edmonton, 1 p.m.
- Brandon at Winnipeg, 4:05 p.m.
- Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Saskatoon at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m.
- Lethbridge at Red Deer, 6 p.m.
- Prince Albert at Regina, 6 p.m.
- Kamloops at Prince George, 6 p.m.
- Portland at Seattle, 6:05 p.m.
- Everett at Victoria, 6:05 p.m.
- Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
- Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s game (all times PT)
- Edmonton at Calgary, noon
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
The Vees are one point shy of eclipsing the 100-point barrier after pounding the Vipers on Friday night.
At the South Okanagan Events Centre, Josh Nadeau and Spencer Smith both scored twice for Penticton (49-3-0-1) as the Vees earned their league-leading 99th point of the season.
Bradly Nadeau, with his team-leading 45th goal of the season, also scored for the Vees, who have one game left on their regular-season schedule. Penticton will host Salmon Arm on Sunday afternoon, and a win would give the Vees 101 points – an impressive feat in a 54-game season.
Julian Facchinelli had the lone goal for Vernon (26-21-2-4). Notably, all the scoring took place in the third, with the Vipers striking first, just 52 seconds in.
After that, though, it was all Penticton, with the Vees replying three times in the next four minutes. Bradly Nadeau, at 12:57, and Smith, at 19:26, closed out the scoring with power-play goals.
Luca Di Pasquo made 11 saves as the Vees outshot the Vipers 39-12. Roan Clarke made 34 saves for Vernon.
Penticton was 2-for-4 on the power play while the Vipers were 0-for-4.
It was a rout in West Kelowna on Friday night as the Warriors pummeled the hapless Centennials.
Rylee Hlusiak, Jake Bernadet and Marik Mamic, each with two goals, paced West Kelowna (27-20-6-0), which outshot their visitors 57-16. Hlusiak finished with five points in a game that saw every Warrior reach the scoresheet with either a goal or an assist.
Ben MacDonald, Jaiden Moriello, Brennan Nelson, Michael Salandra, Isaiah Norlin, Matthew Lee, Riley Sharun and Luke Devin also scored for the Warriors. Moriello also had five assists for a six-point night.
Conor Sullivan started in goal for Merritt (12-36-3-2), but lasted just the first period, stopping 15 of 19 shots. Ryder Gregga played the final two periods and finished with 28 saves on 38 shots.
Cayden Hamming had a much easier night for the Warriors, stopping all 16 shots he faced for the shutout.
West Kelowna was 7-for-8 on the power play while Merritt was 0-for-2.
March has been a rough month for Merritt. Of their seven games, the Cents are 1-6, including earlier losses of 13-1, 13-0 and 10-0. Overall, Merritt has been outscored 67-13 in that stretch.
West Kelowna closes out it schedule on Saturday night in Salmon Arm (27-19-4-2), while Merritt’s season ends at home on Saturday night against Vernon.
Friday’s results
- Prince George 4, Cranbrook 3
- Alberni Valley 4, Victoria 0
- Coquitlam 6, Cowichan Valley 1
- Surrey 6, Powell River 2
- Trail 5, Wenatchee 2
- Chilliwack 3, Langley 2
Saturday’s games (all times PT)
- Cowichan Valley at Chilliwack, 6 p.m.
- West Kelowna at Salmon Arm, 6 p.m.
- Prince George at Cranbrook, 6 p.m.
- Trail at Wenatchee, 6:05 p.m.
- Vernon at Merritt, 7 p.m.
- Nanaimo at Victoria, 7 p.m.
- Powell River at Langley, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday’s games (all times PT)
- Powell River at Coquitlam, 3 p.m.
- Salmon Arm at Penticton, 4 p.m.
- Cowichan Valley at Surrey, 4 p.m.
- Langley at Chilliwack, 5 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFFS, THIRD ROUND
Friday’s results
- Princeton 4, Revelstoke 3 (OT)
- (Princeton leads series 3-2)
Saturday’s games
- No games scheduled
Sunday’s games
- Princeton at Revelstoke, 7 p.m.
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