Jordan Sandhu’s goal early in the third period wound up being the winner for the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in an important 4-2 home win over the Victoria Grizzlies that brings the ‘Dogs within two points of the Grizz for the final Island playoff spot.
After Garrett Halls opened the scoring in the first, Ryan Finnegan made it 2-0 ‘Dogs early in the second. Alex Peck got the visitors on the board midway through the middle frame but Sandhu’s goal 2:18 into the third gave Alberni Valley the cushion they’d need.
Brayden Gelsinger got Victoria back within one but ‘Dogs captain Eric Margo replied shortly after to seal things up for the hosts.
Nick Fiorentino’s goal 52 seconds into overtime delivered a 4-3 Merritt Centennials come-from-behind road win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Goals by Mitch Skapski and Nick Hutchinson in the second period put the ‘Backs ahead but Mitch Lipon and Zach Court tied it in the third. Skapski and Lipon would trade goals again to tie it and set the stage for Fiorentino in overtime.
Kyle Stephan’s goal at 3:20 of double overtime clinched a 4-3 home win for the Wenatchee Wild over the Langley Rivermen. Langley led 3-1 after one on goals by Matty Saharchuk, Dominic Franco and Matt Graham with Mike Coyne scoring for the Wild. Blake Christensen got the home side within one in the second and Coyne tied it in the third. Garrett Nieto made 24 saves for the win while Bo Didur stopped 47 for Langley.
Jeff Smith made 21 saves for the shutout and Curtis McCarrick and Kyle Betts set up two goals apiece in a Powell River Kings 4-0 home win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Carter Turnbull’s goal in the second was the winner and Jeremy LeClerc added another in the middle frame. Austin Kamer and Rylan Ball had third-period markers.
Tyson Jost scored a hat trick for the Penticton Vees in a 6-1 road win over the Nanaimo Clippers. Jost opened the scoring in the first and Luke Voltin supplied what would be the winner before Sheldon Rempal got the Clips on the board. Jost scored twice to open the second putting the Vees in command. Dixon Bowen and Nick Jones added tallies in the third.
Kyle Johnson, Connor Logan and Jarod Hovde scored twice each for the Prince George Spruce Kings in a 9-3 home win over the Surrey Eagles. Johnson and Tanner Fritz quickly put PG ahead two before Brett Stewart got the Eagles on the board. Logan and Tyler Cooper swapped tallies making it 3-2 PG after one. Johnson’s goal in the second would be the winner with Logan, Cavin Tilsley and Hovde following up. Liam McCloskey made 23 saves for the win.
Vimal Sukumaran had a natural hat trick while Kohen Olischefski and Jordan Kawaguchi had a goal and three helpers each as the Chilliwack Chiefs beat the host Coquitlam Express 9-1. Jake Smith opened the scoring for the visitors followed by two from Sukumaran, who completed his hat trick at 13:22 of the second. Dennis Cholowski made it 5-0 heading to the third where Zach Giuttari and Kawaguchi scored before Austin McIlmurray got the lone Express goal.
Kylar Hope had a pair and seven others had singles as the West Kelowna Warriors defeated the host Trail Smoke Eaters 9-0. Rylan Yaremko’s goal late in the first proved to be all the support goalie Matthew Greenfield would need as he made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season. Liam Blackburn, Tyler Anderson, Brett Mennear, Kyle Marino, Kristian Blumenschein and Hope scored in the second and West Kelowna took over.
