Lucas Finner’s goal 49 seconds into overtime rescued two points for the Nanaimo Clippers in a 4-3 road win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in which the Clips surrendered a two-goal lead in the third.
Ben Taylor’s first BCHL goal got Nanaimo on the board first but Justin Wilson replied for the ‘Backs not long after. In the second, Josh Blanchard and Taylor Karel each notched a goal to put the Clippers up by two after 40 minutes.
It looked like the lead might hold but Elijiah Barriga got one back at 13:28 of the third and Jared Turcotte tied it with 67 seconds left in regulation. Finner stepped up got the Clippers the win with a goal in the first minute of OT. Evan DeBrouwer stopped 40 shots for the win while Trevin Kozlowski turned aside 38 for Salmon Arm.
Mark Sinclair turned away all 23 shots that came his way and three different skaters scored for the Chilliwack Chiefs in a 3-0 win over the host Coquitlam Express. Cole Poliziani’s opening goal wound up being enough but Aaron O’Neill followed with insurance in the first to make it 2-0 after 20. Kohen Olischefski had the final tally of the game in the second period and neither Sinclair nor Reid Cooper, who made 32 saves for Coquitlam, could be beaten after that.
Steven Jandric’s second goal of the game wound up being the winner for the Vernon Vipers in a 3-1 home win over the Penticton Vees. Jandric got the first goal of the game in the final minute of the first and added the decisive tally at 3:15 of the second. Austin Adamson added insurance late in the second for Vernon but Grant Cruikshank ruined the shutout bid of Darion Hanson late in the game. Hanson wound up with 33 saves for the win while Mat Robson stopped 32 for Penticton.
A three-goal first period paved the way for the Powell River Kings in a 4-2 home win over the Wenatchee Wild. Carter Turnbull opened the scoring early on and Liam Lawson followed with a goal at 12:46 that chased Wild starter Devin Cooley. Anthony Yamnitsky was greeted not long after taking the crease by a goal from Kyle Betts, which proved to be the winner. AJ Vanderbeck got one back for Wenatchee in the second and Matt Baker got them within one early in the third but they couldn’t find the tying goal. Tristan Mullin got the insurance marker for the Kings just 31 seconds after Baker’s goal. Mitch Adamyk made 40 saves for the win and 1st Star.
Cayden Kraus scored twice in the first period, including the winner with one second left, and Tristan Bukovec added another in the opening frame for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in a 5-2 home win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Keith Anderson and Cameron Kuhl (first BCHL goal) made it 5-0 ‘Dogs in the second while Jared Domin and Max Newton got the Caps’ goals in the third. Brody Claeys made 35 saves for the win.
Ben Brar scored twice for the Prince George Spruce Kings, helping them to a 3-1 road win over the Merritt Centennials. After a scoreless first, Brar opened the scoring but Nick Fidanza had a reply late in the middle frame making it 1-1 going to the third. Chong Lee’s goal was the winner at 6:54 of the final frame and Brar added his second with just 11 ticks remaining. Tavin Grant made 36 saves for the win.
Nick Guiney and Jamie Rome scored twice each for the Victoria Grizzlies in a 7-2 home win over the West Kelowna Warriors. Braiden Epp opened the scoring for the visitors but Guiney had a reply to make it 1-1 going to the second. The middle frame was all Grizz with Guiney, Carter Berger, Rome, Drayson Pears and Tyler Welsh tallying to put Victoria in command. Chase Dubois had the other West Kelowna goal in the second; Rome got his second of the night in the final stanza. Matthew Galajda made 29 saves for the win.
