Wenatchee improves to 2-0 at RBC Cup, host Chilliwack also gets win

The two B.C. Hockey League teams are off to strong starts at the RBC Cup national Junior-A championship in Chilliwack.

The BCHL champion Wenatchee Wild lead the five-team pack with five points by virtue of a 2-1 overtime win over the host Chilliwack Chiefs and a 4-3 triumph over the Steinbach Pistons.

Chilliwack bounced back to beat the Ottawa Junior Senators 4-3 in overtime and are tied with the Senators with three points.

The Wellington Dukes had one point and Steinbach had zero with those teams meeting in the lone game at the competition on Monday night.

In the round-robin, teams are awarded three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win and one point for an overtime loss.

Both BCHL teams are back in action today with Wenatchee facing Ottawa at 2 p.m., and Chilliwack taking on Wellington at 7 p.m.

Ottawa plays Steinbach in Wednesday’s lone game, then round-robin play concludes Thursday with Wenatchee facing Wellington at 2 p.m., and Chilliwack tangling with Steinbach at 7 p.m.

The top four teams advance to the semifinals on Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., with the final set for Sunday at 4 p.m. on TSN.

VEES

The Penticton Vees are holding a press conference open to the media and the public today at 4 p.m. at The Vault restaurant in the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Multiple topics will be covered, including an announcement regarding the Vees’

SUNDAY — Chiefs 4 Ottawa 3 (OT): Will Calverley was a one-man wrecking crew with four goals, including the winner at 4:55 of overtime and the tying goal with 5:51 left in the third period.

Gabriel Morin, Nick Lalonde and Finn Evans scored for Ottawa, who were outshot 34-26. The Senators led 1-0 and 2-1 at the period breaks.

Wild 4 Steinbach 3: Zak Galambos and AJ Vanderbeck scored in a span of 3:38 early in the third period as Wenatchee rallied to beat the Manitoba league and West region champion Pistons.

Jasper Weatherby had the other two goals and Vanderbeck added two assists for the Wild, who had a 32-19 edge in shots on goal.

Luke Bellerose and Austin Heidemann scored two early goals on just four shots to chase Wild starter Austin Park. Seth Eisele came on and allowed just the one goal by Daniel McKitrick.

SATURDAY — Wild 4 Chiefs 3 (OT): Lucas Sowder scored on a coast-to-coast rush just 18 seconds into overtime as Wenatchee beat their BCHL rivals.

Vanderbeck tied the game with 9:45 to play, while Jared Turcotte scored for Chilliwack in the second period.

Wenatchee outshot the Chiefs — playing their first game in two months after being eliminated in the first round of the BCHL playoffs — 34-19. captain for the 2018-19 season. The player will be on hand for interviews, photos and autographs following the press conference.

An announcement regarding the Vees’ coaching staff will also be made for the future outlook of the program.

Seating will be limited for the event.