Justin LaForest faced a whopping 65 shots and stopped all but two of them, backstopping the Surrey Eagles to a 2-2 draw on home ice against the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Jaxon Joseph opened the scoring for Surrey early in the second with his first tally in the BCHL but late in the middle frame Tanner Campbell tied it for PG.
It remained even for most of the third until Donovan Ott put Surrey ahead but Campbell rescued a point for the Spruce Kings, his second of the night tying things up with just 27 seconds left in regulation. LaForest made 18 saves in the first, 19 in the second, 17 in the third and nine more in OT. Liam McCloskey made 29 saves for PG.
Cole Pickup scored twice, including the game-winner, and Brayden Gelsinger had a hat trick as the Victoria Grizzlies defeated the visiting Powell River Kings 5-3. Gelsinger opened the scoring and after Pickup’s first, he tallied again to make it 3-0 Grizz before the Kings got on the board on a Kyle Betts marker. Liam Lawson scored just 13 seconds later to get the Kings within one but Pickup’s insurance tally proved to be the key goal as Betts scored shorthanded in the third but Gelsinger wrapped things up with an empty-netter.
Angus Redmond made 51 saves for his eighth career shutout as the Salmon Arm Silverbacks claimed a 4-0 road win over the Wenatchee Wild. Carson Bolduc’s first of two on the night would prove to be all the offence Redmond would need and Josh Laframboise followed shortly after with the 2-0 goal to bump Chase Perry from the Wild crease. Bolduc and Cameron Trott scored in the third to round out the ‘Backs scoring.
Easton Brodzinski and Tyson Jost broke open a scoreless draw with power-play tallies in the third period while Anthony Brodeur made 34 saves as the Penticton Vees downed the host Veron Vipers 4-1 and officially booked a playoff berth. Brodeur and Andrew Shortridge were locked in a goalie duel through 40 minutes, neither allowing a goal until tallies 46 seconds apart on the man advantage by Brodzinski and Jost. Penticton now has 69 points on the season, putting them out of reach of Merritt and Vernon could only tie them, but Penticton has won the season series.
Sam Jones’ first goal as a Cowichan Valley Capital was also his first in the BCHL and gave the Caps a 4-3 OT road win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. After Eric Margo opened the scoring for the ‘Dogs, Ryan Hogg and Ryan Burton replied for the Caps but Garrett Halls made it 2-2 after 20. The Caps’ Luke Santerno and the Dogs’ Liam Conrad swapped tallies in the second and after a scoreless third, Jones won it 1:45 into OT.
Mitch Lipon scored a pair, including the game-winning tally, as the Merritt Centennials earned a 4-2 road win over the West Kelowna Warriors. Scott Allan opened the scoring for the Warriors but Lipon and Nick Fiorentino responded for the Cents and Lipon’s second goal, early in the middle frame, was the winner. Kristian Blumenschein got the Warriors back within one but Colin Grannary’s empty-netter sealed the deal.
Tyger Howat registered 41 saves and took 1st Star to help the Coquitlam Express to a 4-1 home win over the Trail Smoke Eaters. Nick Halloran’s tally opened the scoring in the first for the Smokies but Coquitlam got three in the second with Blake Hayward, Owen Stout and Mathew Michie doing the damage. Colton Kerfoot added the final tally for Coquitlam in the third.
