A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
The Kelowna Rockets are on the brink of playoff elimination.
At Prospera Place Tuesday, Thomas Milic backstopped Seattle to its third consecutive win over Kelowna, turning aside 24 of 25 shots, as the Thunderbirds took a commanding 3-0 lead in the first-round series.
The best-of-seven series resumes with Game 4 on Wednesday night in Kelowna. The Rockets must win or they’ll be erased from the WHL’s playoff picture.
“It’s a good club over there,” said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette of Seattle, which finished atop the Western Conference standings this season with 111 points, nearly double Kelowna’s 58 points.
“Our group has played two very solid periods in all three games. Tonight, in particular, decisions that we made, especially at the blue-line, really played into us not being able to generate much.”
After a scoreless first period, Kelowna took the lead late in the second period. However, in the third, Seattle replied with four unanswered goals.
“The success we had was getting it behind their defence and really trying to work them down low,” said Mallette.
“And in the third period, we got loose. I think we got a little over-confident and just kinda strayed from our game plan and … the next thing you go, the league leaders in third-period goals, they strike.”
Dylan Guenther, Jordan Gustafson, Lucas Ciona and Kyle Crnkovic, with an empty-net marker, scored for T-Birds, which won the first two games in Seattle by scores of 3-2 and 4-1.
Andrew Cristall, who opened the scoring at 15:40 of the second, replied for Kelowna. Jari Kykkanen turned aside 29 of 32 shots for the Rockets.
Both teams were scoreless on the power play, with Seattle going 0-for-2 and Kelowna going 0-for-3.
Seattle’s roster features 10 players who’ve been drafted by NHL teams, including former Rockets captain Colton Dach.
“They transition well, they skate well, they’ve got a lot of depth,” said Mallette. “They’ve got three very capable lines; their fourth line has two 19-year-olds on it. My fourth line has three 17-year-olds on it.
“It’s a lot to keep that pace up for 60 minutes. I can’t go into (our dressing room) and harp on these guys. They’re making things interesting and they’re working hard. If we can just get through those little hurdles, where we do the same things over and over, but we gotta be pretty damn-near perfect.”
Tuesday’s results
- Saskatoon 4, Regina 3
- (Regina leads series 2-1
- Moose Jaw 6, Lethbridge 2
- (Moose Jaw leads series 3-0)
- Winnipeg 7, Medicine Hat 2
- (Winnipeg leads series 3-0)
- Tri-City 4, Prince George 2
- (Tri-City leads series 2-1)
- Kamloops 5, Vancouver 0
- (Kamloops leads series 3-0)
Wednesday’s games (all times PT)
- Saskatoon at Regina, 6 p.m.
- Moose Jaw at Lethbridge, 6 p.m.
- Red Deer at Calgary, 6 p.m.
- (Red Deer leads series 2-1)
- Winnipeg at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Prince George at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
- Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday’s game
- Kamloops at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
The defending league champions are one win away from advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
At Trail, Thomas Pichette tallied a hat trick as the Penticton Vees crushed the Smoke Eaters for a third straight game in their first-round series.
Aydar Suniev, Bradly Nadeau, Frank Djurasevic and Brett Moravec also scored for Penticton, which led 2-0 and 4-2 at the period breaks and outshot Trail 56-19.
Luca Di Pasquo stopped 17 shots for the Vees, who beat Trail by respective scores of 8-2 and 8-4 in Game 1 and Game 2.
Nicholas Remissong and Brady Hunter replied for Trail, which has been outscored 23-8 so far. Teagan Kendrick made 49 saves for the Smokies.
Penticton was 2-for-3 on the power play while Trail was 1-for-3.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday night. 7 p.m., in Trail.
Dylan Brooks scored twice for West Kelowna as the Warriors took a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series with the Vipers.
Christoper Duclair, Michael Salandra and Jaiden Moriello also scored for West Kelowna, which led 3-1 and 5-2 at the period breaks.
Lee Parks, who opened and closed the scoring, replied for Vernon, which was outshot 28-19.
Cayden Hamming made 17 saves for the Warriors. For the Vipers, Roan Clarke started but was pulled early in the second. He stopped 8 of 12 shots. Ethan David stopped 15 of 16 shots in relief.
West Kelowna was 2-for-4 on the power play while Vernon was 0-for-3.
West Kelowna won the opening game, 4-3, but Vernon bounced back in Game 2 and won 5-4.
Game 4 is Wednesday night, 7 p.m., in Vernon.
Hayden Stavroff and Nathan Mackie both scored twice for Salmon Arm on Tuesday night as the Silverbacks took a 3-0 lead in their series against the Spruce Kings.
Owen Beckner and Maddux Martin also scored for Salmon Arm, which led 2-1 and 5-2 at the period breaks but was outshot 30-25. Matthew Tovell made 28 saves for the Silverbacks.
John Herrington and Charlie Banquier replied for Prince George, which lost Game 1 and Game 2 by respective scores of 2-1 and 6-3.
Aiden Feddema started in net for the Spruce Kings but was replaced midway through the second period. He stopped 9 of 13 shots. Jordan Fairlie stopped 10 of 12 shots in relief.
Salmon Arm was 2-for-3 on the power play while Prince George was 1-for-4.
Game 4 is set for Wednesday night, 7 p.m., in Prince George.
Tuesday’s results
- Wenatchee 5, Cranbrook 4
- (Wenatchee leads series 2-1)
- Coquitlam 5, Chilliwack 1
- (Chilliwack leads series 2-1)
- Surrey 4, Powell River 1
- (Surrey leads series 3-1)
- Alberni Valley 6, Victoria 2
- (Alberni Valley leads series 3-0)
- Nanaimo 5, Langley 1
- (Series tied 2-2)
Wednesday’s games (all times PT)
- Cranbrook at Wenatchee, 6 p.m.
- Coquitlam at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
- Salmon Arm at Prince George, 7 p.m.
- Penticton at Trail, 7 p.m.
- West Kelowna at Vernon, 7 p.m.
- Alberni Valley at Victoria, 7 p.m.
Thursday’s games
- Langley at Nanaimo, 7 p.m.
- Powell River at Surrey, 7 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
PLAYOFFS: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Tuesday’s result
- Princeton 4, Kimberley 1
- (Series tied 2-2)
Thursday’s game
- Kimberley at Princeton, 7 p.m.