The Penticton Vees and Vernon Vipers both started their shortened seasons on winning notes.
On Friday night, Penticton rolled past Trail 4-1 in B.C. Hockey League play at the South Okanagan Events Centre, with the host Vees outshooting the Smoke Eaters 37-28.
Meanwhile, 90 minutes north, Vernon also posted a 4-1 win, as the Vipers slid past Salmon Arm despite being outshot 33-26 by the Silverbacks.
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Penticton 4, Trail 1
At Penticton, Jacob Quillan, Stefano Bottini, Frank Djurasevic and Tyler Ho scored for Penticton (1-0-0-0), which led 1-0 and 3-1 at the period breaks.
Quillan opened the scoring at 7:58 of the first with a shorthanded goal following a major checking-from-behind penalty to Joshua Niedermayer at 7:07.
Quillan gathered a loose puck on the right side and raced with Tristan Amonte for an odd-man rush before snapping home a glove-side shot for the game’s first goal.
In the second, Bottini made it 2-0 just 17 seconds into the second. Djurasevic then made it 3-0 just 20 seconds after that. Ho rounded out the scoring on a net scramble at 3:06 of the third.
Connor Michaud, late in the second period to make it 3-1, replied for Trail (0-1-0-0).
Kaeden Lane stopped 27 shots for the Vees, with Logan Terness facing 37 shots and stopping 33.
Penticton was 0-for-3 on the power play while Trail was 0-for-4.
Vernon 4, Salmon Arm 1
At Vernon, Luke Pakulak and Jack Glen both had two-point nights, each tallying a goal and an assist, as the Vipers downed the Silverbacks.
Ryan Shostak and Logan Lorenz also scored for Vernon (1-0-0-0), which trailed 1-0 early, but scored four unanswered goals to win. Drew Bennett, who opened the scoring at 2:15 of the first on a rebound, replied for Salmon Arm (0-1-0-0).
James Porter Jr. stopped 32 of 33 shots for the Vipers, with Owen Say turning aside 22 of 26 shots for the Silverbacks.
Vernon was 2-for-3 on the power play while Salmon Arm was 0-for-3.
Two minutes after Bennett’s game-opening marker, Shostak levelled the score at 4:27 with a power-play goal. Twelve minutes later, Lorenz put the hometown squad up 2-1 at 16:49.
Following a scoreless second, Pakulak punched in a power-play goal to make it 3-1 at 2:00, with Glen poking home a loose puck to close out the scoring at 17:57.
Saturday’s Games
- Cranbrook vs. Penticton, 6 p.m., at Penticton
- West Kelowna vs. Salmon Arm, 6 p.m., at Vernon
Sunday’s Games
- Trail vs. Cranbrook, 4 p.m., at Penticton
- Vernon vs. West Kelowna, 4 p.m., at Vernon
Note: Shaw Communications will be broadcasting all games being played in Penticton. Shaw Community Spotlight can be found on channel 10 or on Shaw Blue Curve on channel 105.
WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE
Friday Results
- Kelowna vs. Prince George, postponed
- Portland 6, Tri-City 2
- Everett 3, Seattle 1
- Winnipeg 3, Prince Albert 0
- Moose Jaw 4, Saskatoon 0
- Medicine Hat 4, Calgary 1
- Edmonton 9, Red Deer 2
Saturday’s Games
- Kelowna vs. Victoria, postponed
- Red Deer vs. Edmonton, 1 p.m.
- Winnipeg vs. Regina, 3 p.m.
- Medicine Hat vs. Calgary, 6 p.m.
- Spokane vs. Tri-City, 6:05 p.m.
- Portland vs. Everett, 6:05 p.m.
- Prince Albert vs. Swift Current, 7 p.m.
- Kamloops vs. Victoria, 7 p.m.
Sunday’s Games
- Brandon vs. Saskatoon, 5 p.m.
- Seattle vs. Spokane, 5:10 p.m.
- Vancouver vs. Prince George, 6 p.m.
