Austin Roden made all 25 saves and took 1st Star honours while Vincent Millette provided the game-winner early in the second as the Nanaimo Clippers defeated the host Alberni Valley Bulldogs 3-0.
Scoreless after 20 minutes, Millette did it himself scoring unassisted at 3:34 of the middle frame to provide all the offensive cushion Roden would need. Tristan Crozier tacked on an insurance goal while the Clippers were shorthanded midway through the third and Ben Solin rounded out the scoring with an empty netter with 39 seconds remaining.
Nanaimo fired 33 shots on Brody Claeys in the ‘Dogs crease and he turned aside 30 to take 2nd Star for the game.
Connor McCarthy’s third goal of the season was the winner for the Chilliwack Chiefs in a 4-1 road win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Leading 1-0 on a first-period tally by Jordan Kawaguchi, the Chiefs got three-straight power play chances and McCarthy’s goal wound up being the decisive marker. Kale Kane also had a tally on the man advantage in the second and Kohen Olischefski scored at even strength shortly after that. Elijiah Barriga had the lone ‘Backs goal midway through the third.
A three-goal first period helped the Vernon Vipers remain undefeated at 3-0 and earned them a 4-1 home win over the Coquitlam Express. Steven Jandric and Riley Brandt scored in quick succession early in the first and Mitchell Oliver added a power-play goal before the first intermission. Luca Leone got one back for the Express, on the power play midway through the second but Carter Stephenson had a reply for the Vipers late in the middle frame. Cole Demers made 27 saves for the win in his BCHL debut while Reid Cooper stopped 38 for Coquitlam.
Ty Amonte and Noah Jordan scored in the first for the Penticton Vees, leading them to a 3-1 road win over the Powell River Kings. The second period saw no goals and in the third, Ryley Risling made it 3-0 before Jonny Evans got the Kings on the board. Mathew Robson made 30 saves for the win while Brian Wilson stopped 26 for the Kings.
Mitchel Benson made 35 saves, backstopping the Victoria Grizzlies to a 3-1 home win over the Surrey Eagles. Dayne Finnson and Cole Pickup scored for the Grizz in the first to supply all the required offence and Pickup made it 3-0 in the second before Mitchell Williams got the Eagles’ lone goal late in the second. Pickup had a chance for a hat trick in the third but was stopped on a penalty shot by Daniel Davidson.
Michael Regush scored twice including the winner late in the second to pace the Merritt Centennials in a 5-3 home win over the Trail Smoke Eaters. Zach Metsa and Rylan Van Unen put the Cents ahead but Ryan Murphy and Luke Santerno replied for Trail. Regush got his first of the night to put the Cents up one after 20 minutes. Troy Ring tied it midway through the second but Regush struck again with the winner at 14:22. Ryan Roseboom added on in the third. Jacob Berger made 36 saves for the win.
With 43 shots on goal and a pair of tallies from Charlie Combs, the Wenatchee Wild scored a 7-3 road win over the Prince George Spruce Kings. The Wild led 3-1 after one on goals by Jimmy O’Brien, Combs and Brian Williams. After Matt Baker and Tanner Campbell swapped tallies just 15 seconds apart early in the second, Dakota Raabe and Jasper Weatherby got a pair of quick ones for Wenatchee to put them in command. Chong Lee had his second of the game for PG in the third with Combs adding his second 14 seconds later.
