WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
After a smooth trip to Victoria, the Kelowna Rockets started their season with a rough loss on Friday night.
Brayden Schuurman tallied a hat trick as the host Royals scored four times in the second period en route to doubling up Kelowna.
Carter Dereniwsky, Anthony Wilson and Riley Gannon also scored for Victoria (1-1-0-0), which led 5-3 after 40 minutes. The score was tied 1-1 after the first period.
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Pavel Novak, with two goals, and Nolan Flamand replied for Kelowna (0-1-0-0), which outshot the Royals 36-18, including 13-4 in the third period.
Tyler Palmer made 33 saves for Victoria. For Kelowna, Cole Schwebius started, but was pulled after Victoria’s fifth goal. He finished with nine saves on 14 shots. Cole Tisdale was 3-for-3 in relief.
Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.
Novak opened the scoring at 9:03 of the first period, burying a rebound, only to have Victoria tie it at 17:41, with Dereniwsky slapping in a loose save that was trickling along the goal-line.
The second period was all Victoria, with Schuurman scoring just 45 seconds in. That was followed by three goals in a four-minute span midway through the frame for a 5-1 lead.
The Rockets rebounded with two goals near the end of the period, though, with Flamand scoring at 17:16, then Novak netting his second of the night at 19:26.
In the third, though, despite outshooting their hosts, the Rockets couldn’t light the lamp, with Palmer turning aside all 13 shots en route to third-star honours. Schuurman closed out the scoring at 19:04 with an empty-net goal.
The two teams meet again in Victoria at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
For Kelowna, Marcus Pacheco, Gabriel Szturc and Caden Price all made their WHL regular-season debuts.
Notably, forward and Chicago Blackhawks draft pick Colton Dach was returned to Kelowna on Friday. He’s expected to make his debut with the Rockets in Saturday’s rematch.
Friday’s Results
- Vancouver 6, Prince George 4
- Everett 4, Portland 0
- Seattle 5, Spokane 3
- Brandon 5, Prince Albert 2
- Moose Jaw 3, Regina 2
- Medicine Hat 4, Red Deer 2
- Edmonton 2, Swift Current 1
Saturday’s Games
- Saskatoon at Brandon, 6 p.m.
- Red Deer at Lethbridge, 6 p.m.
- Prince Albert at Winnipeg, 6 p.m.
- Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
- Portland at Seattle, 6:05 p.m.
- Spokane at Tri-City, 6:05 p.m.
- Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
- Kelowna at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
- Swift Current at Calgary, 1 p.m.
- Brandon at Regina, 3 p.m.
- Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.
B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE
It was a memorable night for the Penticton Vees, who began the evening by honouring the national championship 1986 Penticton Knights.
Following the pre-game ceremony, the Vees then got to work before a crowd of 2,500, scoring twice in the opening frame, then added two more in the second for a 4-0 lead after 40 minutes.
Josh Niedermayer, with two goals, Finlay Williams, who opened the scoring at 17:28 of the first, and Casey McDonald scored for Penticton (1-0-0-0-0).
Reagan Milburn and Ryan Shostak, with goals midway through the third period, replied for Vernon (0-1-0-0-0).
Kaeden Lane stopped 12 of 14 shots for the Vees, with Roan Clarke turning aside 24 of 28 shots for the Vipers.
Penticton was 0-for-6 on the power play while Vernon was 1-for-8.
Friday’s Results
- Cranbrook 5, Trail 3
- Prince George 8, Merritt 1
- Nanaimo 6, Powell River 2
- Coquitlam 7, Surrey 4
- Victoria 6, Alberni Valley 2
- Langley 7, Chilliwack 5
Saturday’s Games
- Wenatchee at Penticton, 6 p.m.
- Coquitlam at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
- Alberni Valley at Cowichan Valley, 7 p.m.
- Salmon Arm at Merritt, 7 p.m.
- Nanaimo at Powell River, 7 p.m.
- Cranbrook at Trail, 7 p.m.
- Prince George at West Kelowna, 7 p.m.
- Surrey at Langley, 7:15 p.m.
Sunday’s Game
- Cowichan Valley at Victoria, 2 p.m.
KOOTENAY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Friday’s Results
- Osoyoos 7, Kelowna 3
- Summerland 2, Revelstoke 0
- Kamloops 5, North Okanagan 3
- Columbia Valley 2, Kimberley 1
- Fernie 5, Nelson 2
- Chase 4, Sicamous 2
- 100 Mile House 5, Princeton 4
- Castlegar 2, Grand Forks 1
- Beaver Valley 5, Creston Valley 1
Saturday’s Games
- Nelson at Kimberley, 6 p.m.
- Beaver Valley at Columbia Valley, 6 p.m.
- Fernie at Golden, 6:30 p.m.
- Revelstoke at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
- Princeton at Sicamous, 7 p.m.
- Kamloops at Chase, 7 p.m.
- Creston Valley at Castlegar, 7 p.m.
- North Okanagan at Summerland, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
- No Games scheduled.