The Powell River Kings kicked off their season – and a six-pack of opening night games around the league – with a convincing 11-4 win over the Burnaby Express.
The Kings were paced offensively by Darcy Oakes and Kyle Bodie, who each notched five points. Clay Harvey and newcomer Brooks Robinson piled on with four points apiece, while Evan Karambelas stopped 24 Express shots and recorded the win.
Elsewhere in Coastal Conference action, the Surrey Eagles recieved a pair of third period goals from offseason addition Brennan Strang to defeat Langley 3-1 while the Victoria Grizzlies took a rare road game in Nanaimo, receiving a two-goal, one assist effort from Brian Nugent in their 6-3 victory over the Clippers.
In the Interior,the Penticton Vees overcame a fine effort by Anaheim Ducks' draft pick Justin Schultz to start their Fred Pasge Cup title defence on a positive note. The Vees' 4-3 win over the Westside Warriors was powered by a balanced offence that got goals from David Andreassen, Brett Vandenburg, Anthony Peridcaro and rookie forward Garrett Milan.
In Vernon, the Vipers posted a 4-1 win over Salmon Arm after two goals less than thirty seconds apart late in the third period widened their lead. Meanwhile, the Prince George Spruce Kings picked up the evening's lone shutout in a 4-0 win over the Merritt Centennials.
Another six games are slated for Saturday night, including home openers for the Langley Chiefs (hosting Surrey), Trail (hosting Penticton) and Salmon Arm (hosting Vernon). The Quesnel Regency Millionaires will also see their first action, travelling to Westside.
Catch all the action on BCHL Web TV or in the FanZone with free audio broadcasts.
