The Penticton Vees fended off their closest competitor for top spot in the BCHL's Interior Conference standings on Friday night, topping the Salmon Arm SilverBacks by a 4-2 score at the South Okanagan Events Centre. The visitors actually jumped out to an early lead on goals from Devin Muller and Mitchell Zulinick, but the Vees replied quickly through Joey Holka before intermission. Second period markers from Mark MacMillan and Joey Benik put Penticton ahead and a third period marker from Holka provided all the insurance the hosts would need. Joey Rumpel faced 25 shots in the victory.
Meanwhile, in Coquitlam, the Powell River Kings stifled yet another opponent's offence in a 2-1 victory over the Express. Jon Jutzi and Riley McIntosh exchanged first period tallies, and the scored remained tied until Mike Sones converted on a power-play opportunity early in the third period. Kings' netminder Michael Garteig allowed one goal on 23 shots and was named the game's first star.
In Westside, Grayson Downing's hat trick led the Westside Warriors to a 4-2 win over the Surrey Eagles at Royal LePage Place. Tyler Brickler's late first period effort put the hosts ahead after one and Downing extended the lead to three with back-to-back markers in the second and third. The Eagles would draw within one on goals from Brandon Morley and Josh Monk, but Downing would score into an empty net to cap the scoring.
In Prince George, the Spruce Kings allowed a third period lead to evaporate but ultimately got the job down in a 3-2 overtime victory over Merritt. Jeff Datoff and Connor Tiechko had put the hosts ahead by a pair after 40 minutes, but Regan Soquila's power-play marker with 3:28 remaining brought the Cents within one before Max Vallis equalized with 12 seconds remaining in regulation. Nic DeSousa played hero, however, beating Merritt's Lino Chimienti at the 2:52 mark of double overtime.
In Nanaimo, Josh Myers scored twice in the third period to pace the Langley Chiefs to a 3-2 triumph over the Clippers. The teams traded goals early, as a Trevor Gerling tally was quickly wiped out off the stick of Brodie Jamieson. The hosts went up a goal on a shorthanded tally from Colton Cyr late in the second, but Myers would tie the game early in the final frame and give the Chiefs the win at the 19:02 mark of the period.
In Quesnel, the Vernon Vipers made the most of the power-play chances afforded them in a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Millionaires. Malcolm Gould had given the Mills a two-goal advantage heading into the third, but the Vipers scored their first of three man-advantage goals in the period on a Dylan Walchuk effort and then potted two in the span of 1:17 from John Knisely and Kyle Murphy. Mike Zalewski went on to score the winner with just 1:16 remaining.
In Cowichan Valley, Connor Varley helped the Bulldogs made the most of overtime to grab two points from the Capitals with a 4-3 victory. Casey Bailey and Trevor Berkholtz each scored on the man-advantage to give Alberni Valley a lead after 20 minutes, but back-to-back goals from Alex Halloran shifted the lead in the second. Bailey scored again before intermission and the teams played through a scoreless third and first overtime frame before Varley's winner 28 seconds into double OT.
In Trail, Michael Colantone scored twice in the span of two minutes late in the second period to cue a 5-2 Grizzlies' win over the Smoke Eaters. Pearce Eviston scored the game's opening goal midway through the middle frame prior to Colantone's pair, and a late reply from Travis St. Denis wasn't enough to get the hosts back into the game. Wesley Myron and Rajan Sidhu exchanged scores late in the second before Joel Lowry put the game away into an empty net.
