The Vernon Home Building Centre Vipers started strong but struggled late in a 6-2 Midget exhibition hockey loss to host Kelowna Friday night.
Liam Sallows-Cromarty, in his Viper debut, opened the scoring with a point shot, assisted by Scott Latwat.
Tied 1-1 after one period, the building crew retook the lead on a Cole Woodliffe snipe, assists to Jagger Williamson and Sallows-Cromarty.
Kelowna took control in the third frame with five straight goals, including three on the powerplay. Netminder Josh Evans made a number of great stops to keep it close for two periods.
Vernon hosted Kamloops Saturday and is back in Kelowna at noon today for their final Tier 1 league game before the Christmas break.
Kaden Black turned the hat trick as the Coca-Cola Vipers outlasted Penticton 4-3 in Midget Tier 2 league play Friday at Civic Arena.
Vernon moved the puck well, Louis Springer was agile between the pipes and Eamonn Miller completed the attack. Gabe Turner (2), Miller and Braden Gilowski drew assists.
In North Okanagan Bantam Super League action Friday at Priest Valley Arena, Reece Hawthorne recorded the shutout as the Five Star Awards Cougars blanked the DCT Chambers Marauders 5-0.
Nicholas Mann’s first-period shorthanded marker stood as the winner, while the Cougars got other offence from Talon Williams, Darius Stone, Kaylan Lawrence and Maguire Dickinson.
In other Bantam Super League play, the Corbett Office Plus Sharks grounded the Winfield Bruins 4-2 Friday at Civic.
Tyler Riva and Rhys Larsen were both marvellous in the Sharks’ net, with Riva blanking the hard-charging Bruins in the first half of the game. Defencemen Alex Laurila and Jake Pelletier gave the first-place Sharks a 2-0 first-period lead with Laurila going top cheese with a wrister from the point, and Pelletier burying his own rebound after a nice rush.
Brennan Lawrence and game MVP Sean Howard also provided snipes for the 9-0 Sharks, who got two helpers from captain Nick Mitchell.
Isaac Jones and Keilan Cutting replied for the second-place Bruins.
