There is a new leader in the BCHL’s Interior Conference as the Salmon Arm SilverBacks defeated the Quesnel Millionaires 7-4 in Quesnel Friday, moving past the Trail Smoke Eaters and Penticton Vees in the process.
Salmon Arm actually trailed the Mills 2-1 after the first period but exploded for four goals in the middle frame, including three on the power play. Brett Knowles completed his hat trick in the third with another man-advantage marker and wound up with a five-point evening to claim first star.
David Killip, with a goal and three assists, Jarryd Ten Vaanholt, with two goals and an assist, and Clint Atkinson, with three helpers, also had big nights for the ‘Backs. Scoring for Quesnel were Chris Blessing, Malcolm Gould, Daryl DeVries and Spencer Graboski.
Kris Moore got the win in net, playing his first game since injuring his hand in a fight Oct. 8 against Merritt. He made 21 saves.
In Westside, it was the Warriors doing Salmon Arm a favour by downing Penticton 5-1. The outcome was still in question heading into the third with the Warriors up 2-1 but Quinn Gould, Michael King and Grayson Downing with his second of the game clinched it for Westside who have now won eight of their last 10 games.
In Vernon, the Vipers beat Trail 4-1 getting two goals from David Robinson. Bryce Kakoske and Marcus Basara each had two assists for the victors while Clayton McEwan was the only Smokie to beat Snakes’ netminder Blake Voth.
The BCHL’s top two point-getters faced off Friday in Langley as Brad McGowan’s Surrey Eagles dropped a 5-1 decision to Mat Ius’ Langley Chiefs. They each had one point with McGowan opening the scoring in the first on his 25th of the year. But Langley scored five unanswered including a power play marker in the second on which Ius drew an assist. Tim Daly had a goal and an assist for Langley.
An all-Island matchup in Cowichan Valley saw a goalie duel between the Capitals' Derek Dun and Frank Slubowski of Alberni Valley. The visitors scored a 1-0 win when Brandon Adams converted a Ryan Renz feed on the power play to break the deadlock early in the third.
The Powell River Kings grinded out a 2-1 road win over the Nanaimo Clippers to atone for the 6-3 loss Nanaimo handed them on Wednesday. The Kings’ Matt Garbowsky opened scoring in the second and a power play goal from Andrew Pettitt early in the third gave Powell River the cushion they needed as Sam Labrecque scored for Nanaimo with just under five minutes left.
The Merritt Centennials denied Dave Dupas his first win behind the Prince George Spruce Kings’ bench as they skated to a 4-3 home win. Jeff Jones had a goal and an assist for Merritt to claim first star while teammate Evan Stack potted a pair in the first period. Justin Filion had a goal and an assist for Prince George.
In Coquitlam, the Victoria Grizzlies scored the final four goals of the game to defeat the Express 5-2. Victoria led 1-0 after one but Coquitlam’s Destry Straight and Brad Reid put the Express ahead with two quick goals to begin the second. The Grizzlies roared back and wound up with goals from five different players. Madison Dias, David Morley and Sean Robertson all had multiple-point nights for Victoria.
