Warriors win in Surrey, pick up point in Coquitlam
The West Kelowna Warriors delivered a message with a comefrom-behind 5-3 win over the high-flying Surrey Eagles in BC Hockey League action Friday.
On Saturday, the Warriors continued their coastal road trip with a 3-2 overtime loss in Coquitlam. Down 2-0 after the first period in Surrey, the Warriors scored the next four and then hung on for dear life until Jackson Kyrkostas sealed the win with an empty-netter late in the game.
Felix Caron, Callum Hughes, Jack Pridham and Owen Drury also tallied for West Kelowna. Aaron Schwartz, with two, and Ryder Evers replied for Surrey.
Shots were 26-23 in favour of West Kelowna, which started netminder Rorke Applebee. Ajeet Gundarah took the loss for Surrey.
In Coquitlam, after a see-saw affair through regulation time, Jacob Bonkowski scored about five minutes into overtime to deliver the Express a 3-2 win Saturday over the Warriors.
The teams exchanged goals throughout and were tied 1-1 and 2-2 at the first and second intermissions, respectively.
Callum Hughes and Jackson Kyrkostas tallied for West Kelowna, which had Rorke Applebee in net. James Shannon and Jake Manfre scored for CoquitlCaOmU, Simcoe between the pipes.
The Warriors are back in action Friday at 7 p.m. to host the Trail Smoke Eaters, then visit the Vernon Vipers on Saturday night. Penticton Vees goalie Will Ingemann recorded his fourth consecutive shutout as the Vees stayed ahead of the Warriors atop the Interior Conference standings with a 4-0 in Cranbrook on Saturday night, followed by a 3-2 win in Trail during a Sunday matinee.
Ingemann now has six shutouts on the season – one off the BCHL record.
Ingemann, an 18-year-old native of Plymouth, Minn., also boasts the BCHL’s best goals-against average at 1.75.
PENTICTON 4 CRANBROOK 0
Ingemann had to block just 14 shots to pick up his fourth consecutive shutout Saturday night.
Penticton opened the scoring midway through the first period and led 1-0 and 3-0 at the intermissions.
James Fisher, Connor MacPherson, Conyr Hellyer and Zack Stringer were the Vees’ scorers.
PENTICTON 3,TRAIL 2
Sunday’s matinee game in Trail was a horror show in the early going for the Vees.
Down 2-0 early in the third period, the Vees flipped the script and scored three unanswered goals to steal a 3-2 win from the Smoke Eaters (21-17-6-0).
James Fisher sparked the comeback about five minutes into the final frame, before Anselmo Rego tied it about three minutes later and Simon Meier notched the game-winner with just under five minutes to play.
Adam Parsons and Chase Stefanek replied for Trail, which started netminder Ryan Parker.
Shots were 32-28 in favour of Penticton, which started goaltender Andrew Ness.
The Vees open a three-game home stand Friday night when the Langley Rivermen (14-26-5-0) visit, then keep it going Saturday with a date against the Coquitlam Express.
VERNON 5 PRINCE GEORGE 3
A late push by the host Prince George Spruce Kings (14-27-3-0) came up just short on Friday in the first of a two-game weekend set against the visiting Vernon Vipers.
Vernon led 3-0 at the midway point of the contest, before the Spruce Kings’ scorers went to work and got to within a goal of tying it before Julian Facchinelli sealed the win with an empty-netter late in the third period.
The Vipers led 1-0 and 4-1 at the intermissions, plus held a 43-32 advantage in shots.
Luke Bibby, Anthony Cliché, Shea Busch and Ewan McPherson also scored for Vernon, who put up netminder Ethan David.
Alexis Cournoyer, JR Perdion and Killian McGregor-Bennett replied for Prince George, who started Charlie Zolin in net.
PRINCE GEORGE 4 VERNON 2
A four-goal outburst in the second period proved too much to handle as the Vipers fell 4-2 on Saturday night to the host Spruce Kings.
Adam Csabi opened the scoring early in the second period to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead, but the Spruce Kings scored the next four goals to take a 4-1 lead into the third period.
Georgios Stavrianeas scored early in the third period for Vernon to make it 4-2.
JR Peridon and Linden Makow each scored twice for Prince George, which had a 33-23 advantage in shots.
Ethan David took the loss in Vernon’s net. Ryan Sanborn claimed the win for Prince George.
The same clubs meet for a third consecutive game this coming Friday at 7 p.m. in Vernon. West Kelowna visits on Saturday night.
The Vees (44-32-7-3) are in sole possession of first place in the BCHL with 69 points, one up on the Coastal Conference-leading Surrey Eagles (33-7-2-0).
The Warriors (27-10-8-0) are in second place in the Interior Conference with 62 points and third overall in the BCHL.
The Vipers (26-17-1-0) are fourth in the Interior Conference, two points back of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks (26-15-0-3).
A pair of Surrey Eagles, Caden Cranston and Aaron Schwartz, lead the BCHL in scoring with 68 and 61 points, respectively.
Felix Caron of the Warriors is third with 27 goals and 55 points.
Callum Arnott leads the Vees in scoring with 24 goals and 44 points.
Owen Kim is the Vipers’ leading scorer with 12 goals and 39 points.