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Around the BCHL – Friday, Feb. 3

BCHL-180x240Despite allowing the first goal of the game, the Prince George Spruce Kings replied loudly with four of their own in the opening frame to roar back and take a 5-2 road win over the Langley Rivermen.

Brendan Budy scored just past two minutes into the game but Jarod Hovde, Adam Burnett and Brett Mennear replied with goals that chased Langley starter Bo Didur with Braedon Fleming coming on in relief. He was soon greeted by a Ben Brar goal that made it 4-1 PG after one.

Keegan Ward got the final Spruce Kings goal in the second and Sean Gulka got one back for Langley in the third. Aris Anagnostopoulos made 26 saves for his first BCHL win.

Goals 1:48 apart in the first period from Taylor Ward and Owen Sillinger proved to be enough for the Penticton Vees in a 2-1 road win over the Nanaimo Clippers. Ward opened the scoring just past the 16-minute mark and Sillinger followed not long after. The score stayed 2-0 until the third when Matt Creamer’s power-play goal got the Clips within one but that’s how it ended. Mat Robson made 32 saves for the win.

A four-goal third period broke open a tight game and delivered a 6-2 home win for the Merritt Centennials over the West Kelowna Warriors. Connor Sodergren and Tyler Ward traded goals in the first and in the middle frame, Jon Russell put the Warriors up briefly before Brett Jewell tied it again. It remained 2-2 until 5:22 of the third when Zach Risteau began a string of four unanswered Cents tallies. He was followed by Rylan Van Unen, Nick Fidanza and Nicholas Wicks. Jacob Berger made 28 saves for the win.

The Chilliwack Chiefs fell behind by two in the second period but led by a pair of Jordan Kawaguchi goals, had enough in the tank to come back and claim a 6-3 home win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. After a scoreless first, Trey Thomas (first BCHL goal) and Elijiah Barriga put the ‘Backs ahead by a pair. Kawaguchi sparked the rally and was followed by Colin Bernard and Kohen Olischefski making it 3-2 Chiefs after two. Kawaguchi’s second was the winner in the final frame and after an Austin Chorney goal for Salmon Arm, Will Calverley and Jake Smith rounded out the Chiefs scoring.

Josh Laframboise scored twice and Connor Brown-Maloski set up three goals for the Trail Smoke Eaters in an 8-3 win over the visiting Coquitlam Express that puts Trail officially into the playoffs. Trail led 2-0 after one on goals by Kale Howarth and Laframboise and after Owen Stout, in his first game since late October, got the Express on the board in the second, Mitch Barker and Spencer McLean put Trail up 4-1 going to the third. Alex Ambrosio got the Express within a pair in the third but markers from Laframboise, Braeden Tuck and Korbyn Chabot put the game out of reach. Luca Leone and Ryan Moon swapped late tallies. Linden Marshall made 31 saves for the win.

Carter Turnbull’s second-period goal was the winner and Brian Wilson made 34 saves for the Powell River Kings in a 4-1 win on home ice over the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Ben Berard opened the scoring for the Kings in the first and Mitch Skapski replied for the Caps on the power play but it was to be the only goal for the visitors on the night. Turnbull scored near the midway part of the second and Jonny Evans and Turnbull tallied in the third.

Lucas Sowder set up Jasper Weatherby’s game-winning goal and later scored one himself in a Wenatchee Wild 6-0 win over the visiting Surrey Eagles. Weatherby’s goal in the first was all the support Anthony Yamnitsky needed as he made 16 saves for his BCHL-best fifth shutout of the season. Austin Chavez, Brendan Harris and Matt Baker added goals in the second with Dakota Raabe and Sowder scoring in the third. Daniel Davidson made 37 saves for Surrey.