The Westside Warriors were almost doubled on the shot clock but came out ahead on the scoreboard with a 3-1 home win over the Merritt Centennials.
Warriors netminder Dwayne Rodrigue stopped 37 of 38 shots and Josh Monk tallied the winning goal on the power play at 7:38 of the third as Westside won its 17th game of the season.
The game was scoreless until late in the second period when Marcus Basara opened the scoring for Westside. Chad Brears replied for Merritt shortly after but that was the only puck to get past Rodrigue who was 1st Star.
The Vernon Vipers climbed to within two points of fourth-place Chilliwack with a 5-2 home win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The 'Dogs' Walker Hyland had the only goal of the first period but Ben Gamache and Adam Tambellini tallied in the second for Vernon. After Hunter Stewart tied it early in the third, Michael Zalewski restored the Vernon lead with a pair of goals.
In Trail, the Smoke Eaters overcame an early 2-0 deficit and downed the Chilliwack Chiefs 5-3. Anderson White and Josh Hansen put the visitors ahead but Connor Tiechko replied with one late in the first and another early in the second. Riley McDougall put the Smokies up one going into the third where Tiechko completed the hat trick.
The Coquitlam Express and Cowichan Valley Capitals combined for 96 shots and 11 goals with the Express taking a 6-5 OT win on the road on Zach Hodder's winner at 1:26 of the first OT. Coquitlam's Alex Kerfoot was the only player with multiple goals and scored his second of the night with 24 seconds left in regulation. Devin Gannon had a goal and two assists for the Caps.
Andrew Hunt made 52 saves for the Surrey Eagles as they took a 3-1 road win over the Nanaimo Clippers. Surrey's Sean McGovern and Bretty Mulcahy scored in the first and Alex Hagen had an empty-netter with 19 seconds left. Trevor Fitgerald had the lone Clips goal which came on the power play midway through the second.
The Powell River Kings fired 54 shots at Victoria Grizzlies netminder Taylor Pears and only beat him twice but it was enough in a 2-1 road win. The Grizz opened the scoring on Coltyn Hansen's goal in the first but Evan Richardson tied it in the second and Cohen Adair got the winner late in the third.
A three-goal first period for the Prince George Spruce Kings propelled them to a 6-4 win over the visiting Salmon Arm SilverBacks. Myles Fitzgerald and former SilverBack Jarryd Ten Vaanholt scored early in the opening frame with Paul De Jersey adding the other. Ten Vaanholt got his second in the second and Fitzgerald got his second in the third while Morgan Zulinick had a pair in the third for Salmon Arm.
