Vipers make statement in Wenatchee
Vernon, West Kelowna both winners on weekend
If the Vernon Vipers needed a signature win to validate their perfect start to the BCHL season, they got it.
Jimmy Lambert logged a goal and an assist and Anthony Yamnitsky came back to bite his old team with 36 saves as the Vipers spoiled the Wenatchee Wild’s home opener with a 5-1 triumph on Saturday.
Alex Swetlikoff, Brett Stapley, Keyvan Mokhtari and Shane Kelly also scored in front of 2,619 fans as the Vipers improved to a league-best 4-0-0 to start the campaign.
Vernon, winners of three straight road games, led 2-1 after 40 minutes and got a pivotal goal from Stapley 22 seconds into the third.
Jasper Weatherby connected for the defending regular-season champion Wild, who moved from the Mainland to the Interior Division this season. Seth Eisele made 19 saves for Wenatchee (2-1-0).
Warriors 3 Centennials 1: Former Nanaimo Clipper Matt Kowalski scored his fourth goal in three games — a highlight-reel lacrosse-style goal from behind the net — as West Kelowna beat Merritt at Royal LePage Place.
Jared Marino and Chase Stevenson also scored for the Warriors (2-1-0), who led 2-0 and 3-0 at the period breaks.
Jack Vincent spoiled Cole Demers’ shutout bid with 1:32 to play.
Demers made 32 stops to earn first-star honours, while Vincent Duplessis blocked 33 shots for the Centennials.
Merritt and Salmon Arm are both 0-4 to start the season.
The Penticton Vees (2-0-0) were idle after beating Salmon Arm 6-2 on Friday.
All 17 BCHL teams will be playing two games in the annual Bauer Showcase from Wednesday to Sunday at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack, with points counting in the standings.
The Vees play Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Friday at 4 p.m. and will ironically be the designated home team against the host Chilliwack Chiefs on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. It’s a rematch of last year’s BCHL final when the Vees beat the Chiefs in overtime of Game 7 in Chilliwack.
West Kelowna plays on the first two days of the Showcase, facing the Coquitlam Express on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and the Cowichan Valley Capitals on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Vernon takes on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and the Powell River Kings on Friday at 1 p.m.
Powell River leads the Island Division with a 3-0-1 record and has scored a whopping 27 goals in the four games, including weekend road wins over Nanaimo 9-1 and Cowichan 9-7.
ICE CHIPS: The Prince George Spruce Kings are setting the early place in the Mainland Division at 3-0-1, while the RBC Cup host Chiefs are off to a stuttering 1-2-1 start . . . . Three Powell River Kings sit atop the league scoring race as Carter Turnbull and Jonny Evans each have 10 points, while Kevin Obssuth has eight points and a league-leading five goals. Vernon’s Lambert also has eight points, and Stapley is among five players with seven points.