Jonah Imoo made 44 saves and John Schiavo scored twice as part of a four-goal Merritt Centennials second period on the way to a 5-1 road win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
The win secures the #3 seed for the playoffs in the Interior Division for Merritt. They will play #2 seed Vernon in the first round.
Josh Laframboise opened the scoring for Salmon Arm early in the first but Jonah Imoo stopped everthing that came his way after that. Schiavo tallied twice in 1:50 to start the second and it proved to be all the offence the Cents would need. Colin Grannary, Michael Ederer a Zak Bowles with an empty-netter late sealed it for the Cents.
Jacob Pritchard's hat trick keyed a Powell River Kings 8-2 home win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The result means the 'Dogs are the Island #4 seed and will play Nanaimo in the first round. The Kings will finish third and play #2 Victoria. Pritchard opened the scoring a minute in and after Dylan Haugen tied it, Nick Halagian and Kurt Keats scored for the Kings which was all the goals they'd need. Pritchard finished his hat trick in the second.
Chad Staley and Braiden Epp scored power-play goals in the third period in a Prince George Spruce Kings comeback 5-3 win over the visiting Langley Rivermen. The teams play again Saturday but already know they'll face each other in the first round. A PG win Saturday would give them the #2 seed. Jacob Kearley scored in the first and Jordan Schneider in the second to give Langley at 2-1 lead going to the third but after Staley and Kevan Kilistoff exchanged tallies, Jake LeBrun, Epp and Jeremiah Luedtke scored for PG to win it.
Kevin Massy scored the double-overtime winner for the Victoria Grizzlies to secure a 4-3 win over the host Nanaimo Clippers and the Island #2 seed. Jay Mackie and Dane Gibson, on a penalty shot, put the Grizz up 2-0 in the first but Sheldon Rempal had two in the second along with a Brett Roulston tally to give the Clips a 3-2 lead heading to the third. Meirs Moore had a late equalizer setting the stage for OT.
Jake Hand scored twice as part of a four-goal Chilliwack Chiefs first period that paved the way to a 5-2 road win over the Coquitlam Express. The result ensures the #1 seed Chiefs will face the #4 seed Express in the first round. Taylor Green got the Express on the board in the second and Daniell Lange got them within two early in the second but Jake Larson sealed it for the Chiefs with an empty-netter as time expired.
Hunter Miska made 39 saves and Mike Lee set up a pair of goals in a Penticton Vees 3-2 home win over the Vernon Vipers. Tyson Jost opened the scoring for the Vees in the first and Dakota Conroy made it 2-0 early in the second. Thomas Aldworth's power-play tally got Vernon on the board late in the second and Anthony Latina tied it in the third. But Lewis Zerter-Gossage had the winner for the Vees with just under seven minutes to go.
