Charlie Combs completed a hat trick in the third period to lead the Wenatchee Wild to a 5-3 comeback win over the visiting Merritt Centennials.
The Cents led 3-1 after one, getting goals from Zach Court, Cade Gleekel and Henry Cleghorn. But that would be all the scoring they’d get on the night; Combs got his first two tallies early in the second to tie the game and AJ Vanderbeck scored what would be the game-winner after that.
At 13:39 of the third, Combs finished off the hat trick. He also assisted on Brendan Harris’ first-period goal for a four-point night. Anthony Yamnitsky made 15 saves for the win while Colten Lancaster stopped 47 for Merritt.
Ben Solin’s power-play goal in the third period was the difference as the Nanaimo Clippers earned a 3-2 home win over the West Kelowna Warriors. Jon Russell put the visitors up one after one and in the second, a flurry of three goals in 1:21 brought the score to 2-2. First, Jamie Collins got the Clips on the board and 13 seconds later Chase Dubois restored the Warriors’ lead. Just 1:08 after that, Matt Creamer tied it with a shorthanded tally. Solin’s goal on the man advantage won it for Nanaimo in the third. Evan DeBrouwer made 26 saves for the win while Trevor Martin turned aside 29 for West Kelowna.
Cody Van Lierop scored with just a second remaining on the clock in the first overtime session to deliver a 4-3 road win for the Victoria Grizzlies over the Chilliwack Chiefs. Keyvan Mokhtari put the Grizz up 1-0 after one. In the second, the teams traded two goals each with Jake Smith and Kohen Olischefski scoring for Chilliwack and Mokhtari and Cameron Thompson tallying for Victoria. Josh Borynec’s first BCHL goal for Chilliwack in the third set the stage for OT where Van Lierop won it for the Grizz.
The Penticton Vees got two first-period goals from Taylor Ward, went up 3-0 on a Grant Cruikshank tally in the second and withstood a Vernon Vipers rally on the way to a 4-2 road win. Trailing by three in the second, the Vipers got goals 10 seconds apart from Carter Stephenson and Jimmy Lambert to get within one. That’s as close as it would get though as Cruikshank potted an empty-netter with under a minute to go. Mat Robson stopped 29 for the win while Ty Taylor made 28 saves for Vernon.
Lawson Fenton stopped 54 shots for the Coquitlam Express as they skated to a 3-3 tie on the road against the Prince George Spruce Kings. After a scoreless first, Jamie Huber put PG ahead 22 seconds into the second as part of a three-goal Spruce Kings middle frame. Sam Kozlowski and Callum Cusinato (first BCHL goal) scored for the Express in the second with Adam Burnett and Chong Lee also scoring for PG. Jones’ goal tied the game in the third. Keegan Jones’ goal 22 seconds into the third set the stage for overtime.
A three-goal third period propelled the Trail Smoke Eaters to a 4-2 home win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. After a scoreless first, Trail’s Blaine Caton and Salmon Arm’s Riley Hayles traded tallies in the second. Ryan Murphy put Trail up in the third but Salmon Arm drew level again on a Carson Bolduc goal. Spencer McLean’s goal was the winner and Ross Armour added an empty-net goal to wrap up.
The Powell River Kings fired 49 shots on goal and got two goals from both Liam Lawson and Jonny Evans in a 9-0 road win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Ben Berard’s first BCHL goal in the first period would be all the offensive support the Kings needed as Brian Wilson made 23 saves for his first BCHL shutout. Kyle Betts, Lucas Fraulin and Callum Volpe added on in the second. Lawson and Evans each potted their pair in the final frame with Tristan Mullin adding the other.
