There's a tie atop the Coastal Conference standings as the Powell River Kings topped the Cowichan Valley Capitals 2-1 Friday night at Hap Parker Arena.
After a scoreless first period, Steven Schmidt opened the scoring for the Kings with an unassisted effort midway through the second. Steven Iacobellis replied for the Caps to even things up heading into the third.
The game remained deadlocked until Powell River got a power play and Evan Richardson potted the winner with just under six minutes to go. Both teams currently have 56 points which puts them two points up on Surrey.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs got the winner from Walker Hyland with four seconds left in regulation to upend the Merritt Centennials 3-2. Merritt got two from Evan Stack in the third to tie it up before Hyland's tally. Cameron Large made 38 stops for the win.
Kyle Kramer's goal at 1:39 of the first OT gave the Nanaimo Clippers a 3-2 win over the visiting Surrey Eagles. Kramer opened the scoring on the power play in the second before Tyler Morley evened it up heading into the third. Dan Correale and Alex Hagen traded goals in the third to set up OT.
The Penticton Vees fired 49 shots on Westside's Dwayne Rodrigue in a 4-0 win over the Warriors. Travis St. Denis' power-play goal in the first was the winner with Connor Reilly and Mario Lucia adding goals on the man advantage in the second. Michael Garteig made 17 saves for his third shutout of the season.
Derek Huisman's second goal of the game early in the third was the game-winner for the Chilliwack Chiefs in a 4-2 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings. PG opened the scoring on a Leo Fitzgerald goal in the first minute but the Chiefs scored the next three. Malcolm Gould's empty-netter sealed the deal late.
A flurry of goals to open the second period was capped by Alex Kerfoot's game-winner at 5:04 to give the Coquitlam Express a 5-2 road win over the Victoria Grizzlies. The Grizz had tied the game 2-2 on goals 36 seconds apart by Cam Lawson and Coltyn Hansen. Brady Shaw had a pair for the Express and Khaleed Devji made 27 saves in the win.
The Vernon Vipers got three goals in the third period to down the Trail Smoke Eaters 5-3. The teams traded goals in the first and second including a pair by Vernon's Michael Zalewski. Patrick McGillis put the Snakes up one in the third before Brent Baltus equalized for Trail. Adam Tambellini's goal at 18:31 of the third was the winner and McGillis added an empty-netter.
