A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.
Following an ugly 11-1 loss to Portland on Friday, the Kelowna Rockets look to end their three-game road trip south of the border on a high note against the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday.
The season series between the two clubs have been high-scoring affairs. On Oct. 7, the Rockets defeated the Chiefs 6-3. Then, 20 days later, Spokane got the best of Kelowna 8-5. The two clubs play a total of four games against each other, including two games this month.
The clubs last faced each other in Spokane, where Rockets forward Andrew Cristall was buzzing, recording three goals for his second career hat trick. He’s currently riding a nine-game point streak.
One player to watch for on Spokane is Berkly Catton. The first overall pick from the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft is currently listed ninth among North American Skaters by Central Scouting for the upcoming NHL Draft. He leads the Chiefs in scoring with 75 points (33G, 42A) in 45 games played.
The Rockets will need to play with a short memory. There weren’t a lot of positives to take away from Friday’s beat down against Portland Winterhawks. But the Rockets have the potential to take advantage of the Chiefs. They turned in a 6-3 loss to Tri-City Saturday while the Rockets got to rest their legs and prepare themselves for Sunday’s tilt.
Puck drop for Sunday’s match is set for 5:05 p.m. at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. After the final horn sounds, the Rockets will pack their bags and head home before hosting Victoria on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.
Saturday’s results
- Lethbridge 6, Calgary 0
- Moose Jaw 6, Red Deer 3
- Prince Albert 3, Medicine Hat 2
- Brandon 5, Swift Current 4
- Portland 7, Seattle 1
- Tri-City 6, Spokane 3
- Vancouver 4, Everett 3
Sunday’s games
- Edmonton at Calgary
- Wenatchee at Everett
- Tri-City at Portland
- Kamloops at Prince George
- Red Deer at Regina
- Brandon at Saskatoon
- Victoria at Seattle
- Kelowna at Spokane
ALBERNI VALLEY 3, WEST KELOWNA 1
With their eyes set on first place in the Interior Division, the West Kelowna Warriors let two points slip away against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Saturday night.
Neither team would find the back of the net in the opening frame, but just 2:36 seconds into period two, Nicholas Beneteau broke the ice and put the Bulldogs up 1-0. Then, with just over two minutes remaining in the second period, the Bulldogs added to their lead thanks to a goal from Hayden Stavroff, notching his 22nd goal of the season.
Early in the third period, the Bulldogs continued to pile on the offence, as Fischer O’Brien would score to make it 3-0. The Warriors managed to score a goal of their own less than a minute after, but the Bulldogs held on for a 3-1 victory.
The Warriors are two points back of the Penticton Vees for first place in the Interior Division. They’ll hit the road once again and take on Cranbrook at 7 p.m. on Friday.
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks gave up two critical points in the standings to the Vernon Vipers, a team that’s now trailing them by just five points in the Interior Division.
The hometown Vipers got on the board 6:31 into the opening frame thanks to a goal from Payton Struck. Then, just a minute into period two, they doubled down after Noah Dorey scored his second goal of the year. The Silverbacks would respond with a goal of their own to cut the deficit in half, but the Vipers kept their foot on the gas in the third period.
Vernon would score three more goals in the third period, to knock off the Silverbacks by a score of 5-2. The Silverbacks sit in third place in the Interior Division with 50 points, while the Vipers are in fourth place with 45 points. The Silverbacks host Prince George on Friday, while the Vipers take on Grizzlies in Victoria, also on Friday.
Saturday’s results
- Chilliwack 5, Victoria 3
- Prince George 4, Cranbrook 2
- Coquitlam 2, Cowichan Valley 1 (OT)
- Nanaimo 4, Prince Rupert 2
- Merritt 5, Trail 1
Sunday’s games
- Penticton at Merritt
- Victoria at Langley
- Coquitlam at Surrey
- Blackfalds at Brooks