Team Sites
Follow the BCHL
BCHL

Around the BCHL: Feb. 20

Nick Germain tied the game with 1:30 left in regulation and then scored 29 seconds into overtime, lifting the Merritt Centennials to a 3-2 home win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.

After Zak Bowles opened the scoring for the Cents in the second, Liam Conrad tied it for the ‘Dogs late in the middle frame and Quinn Syrydiuk put them ahead in the third. It looked like the visitors might hang on for the win but Germain would tie it and deliver the win all in the space of less than two minutes.

The win puts Merritt into a tie with Vernon for fourth in the Interior Division with 47 points though Vernon has 22 wins to Merritt’s 21, which is the first tie-break decider. The single point earned by Alberni Valley ties them with Victoria for fourth in the Island at 48 points but Victoria has 22 wins to the ‘Dogs’ 20.

Bennett Morrison’s goal 1:08 into overtime delivered a 5-4 road win for the Trail Smoke Eaters over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. The home side got out to a 3-0 on first-period goals by Chase Zieky and Cameron Trott along with a second-period marker from Josh LaFramboise. But Trail rallied with two goals from Jake Kauppila and one from Evan McEachern to make it 3-3 going to the third. Connor Brown-Maloski put the Smokies ahead but Marcus Mitchell tied it setting the stage for OT. The win keeps Trail in the playoff hunt with 22 wins and 46 points.

Matteo Esposito made all 31 saves and Jordan Kawaguchi scored twice to give the Chilliwack Chiefs a 5-0 home win over the Vernon Vipers. Kawaguchi and Linden Hora scored in the first to give Esposito all the support he’d need. Kawaguchi added on in the second with Connor McCarthy and Dennis Cholowski rounding out the scoring in the third.

A pair of Nick Jones goals and 20 saves from Zach Driscoll was the recipe for the Penticton Vees in a 5-0 home win over the Victoria Grizzlies. Jones got both his goals in the first with Easton Brodzinski chipping in as well to put the Vees in control 3-0 after 20 minutes. Demico Hannoun scored in the second with Tyson Jost adding on in the third.

Matt Hudie’s goal 3:10 into overtime secured a 3-2 road win for the Cowichan Valley Capitals over the Wenatchee Wild. Tyler Rockwell and Ryan Burton traded tallies in the first with Aaron Murray and Adam Osczevski doing the same in the third setting the stage for overtime. Hudie coverted a setup from Corey Hoffman for the winner as Storm Phaneuf made 38 saves for the win.

A pair of Sheldon Rempal goals, his 55th and 56th of the season, keyed a Nanaimo Clippers four-goal third-period rally on the way to a 5-3 home win over the Powell River Kings. Liam Lawson and Brandon Kennedy (1st BCHL goal) put the Kings ahead in the first and after Matt Hoover got the Clips on the board in the second, Nick Halagian restored the Kings two-goal edge. But the final frame was all Nanaimo with Rempal, Nolan Aibel, Matt Creamer and Rempal again scoring to snatch the victory.

A quintet of scorers and 20 saves from Bo Didur were enough for the Langley Rivermen in a 5-1 win over the Coquitlam Express. Matthew Graham and Torrin White supplied all the necessary scoring in the first with Adam Sinclair, Dominic Franco and Justin Fregona adding tallies in the second. Jackson Cressey had the lone Express goal in the middle frame.