The Vernon Flames Novice Development hockey team recorded three wins to reach the A Division final, where they bowed 4-3 to the host Penticton Black Knights Sunday.
All of the Flames played exceptionally well throughout the weekend, especially strong defensive play from Isaac Thomas, Gage Stoll and Ethan Harshenin.
Conner Elliott, Jacob Boden and Steel Quiring scored for the Flames, who got some crucial saves from game MVP Owen Swiscoski. Jakob Jones, Christopher Bond and Jace Weir maintained furious offensive pressure on Penticton, raining pucks onto the net only to be stopped by the goal posts.
Valiant efforts were put forth by Porter Trevelyan, Quinn Soon, Peyton Storey and Jordyn Morris.
The K2 Stone Crushers clipped the M&K Ready Mix Red Lazers 3-2 for fifth place in the Vernon Atom House Tournament at Civic Arena.
Lucus Wood pulled the hat trick for the Crushers, who got a super swan-dive save from Chayse Turnbull. Aiden Trottier, on a pass from Brady Szeman, and Jaden Foster, on a breakaway, scored for the Red Lazers. Keenon Jeeberg took game MVP.
The Crushers opened by tying the Kelowna Red Bulls 4-4 on goals by Jackson Sampert, Nicholas Maglio, Ben Reinhardt and Turnbull.
In Game 2, the Crushers lost 3-1 to the Langley Nighthawks with Wood scoring in the final period.
Elyse Dyck showed great effort by playing a strong positional game, while Dawson Martian was denied on a superb rush. Turnbull turned in an MVP showing in net.
The Crushers bounced back with a 5-3 victory over the Westside Orange Crushers
Vernon Crushers came out applying a lot of pressure in the first period.
Johnston jumpstarted the offence with some nifty stickhandling on a solo rush. Will Higgins-Wilson did a stellar job clearing the puck out of the Crushers’ zone. Wood scored the second goal with a wrister off a rebound.
Dyck and Caleb James showed solid effort and puck pursuit in the second period, while Stone made several saves in the last few seconds of the period to keep the scored tied 2-2.
Johnston again went end to end to put the Crushers up by one and he made it 4-2 after Maglio worked hard on a scramble.
The last goal was scored by Wood on an assist by Martian. Alyssa Reilly had a glorious scoring chance in the final minutes but was stopped. Game MVP went to Trevor Moore
The Red Lazers opened by tying the Westside Orange Crushers 5-5 with Szeman and Trottier each scoring twice and Jacob Brewer-Sherriff getting the equalizer by powering the puck past the goaltender on a pass from game MVP Trottier.
The Lazers then bowed 6-4 to Kelowna with game MVP Brewer-Sherriff, Keenon Jeberg, Trottier on a tape-to-tape pass from Foster, and Foster, on a feed by Trottier, handling the offence.
Game 3 saw the Lazers stop the Penticton Jr. Vees 6-4 behind the MVP goaltending of Erik Urquhart and 1+2 from Trottier. Szeman, Brayden Mcmanaman and Liam Reid each supplied two assists.
Meanwhile, the line of Mark Francis (2+2), Yanik Fillion-Murphy (1+2) and Chad Woodhead (1G) combined for eight points as the Nedco Titans grounded the Talon Benefits Ajax 5-1 in a North Okanagan Super Midget League showdown Sunday night at Civic Arena.
Kolton Kirschner also scored for the 5-1-1 Titans, who got solid netminding from Rodger Sewell and stellar play from their defensive trio of captain Brodie Homeniuk, Quin Finocchio and Brett Shaigec.
Dallas Zupp countered for the previously undefeated Ajax (7-1-1).
Said Titans’ head coach Kevin Murphy of the fast-paced tilt: “The team knew that we were up against an extremely talented team and would have to execute our game plan relentlessly, and that is exactly what the players did. It was a 100 per cent effort by every member and it was amazing to watch. From our forechecking forwards to our d-men and our goalie, everyone gave it their all.”
The Titans open the Salmon Arm Invitational today at noon against the Salmon Arm Lakeside Sting.
In exhibition Midget action, the Vernon Authentic Plaques & Trophies Tropics iced the Corbett Office Plus Cowboys 9-6.
Cameron Strike pocketed 2+5 and Russell Hickman added 2+4 for the Tropics, who called up Bantam goalie Dustin Beckner and he maintained his poise throughout the entire game.
Brock Wagner earned 2+1, while Lucas Mitchell, with 1+2, Travis Webster and Tanya Nijar sniped singles. Mitchell Cousins had two helpers.
Justin Ramsey counted 3+2 for the Cowboys, while Jeremy Clark provided 1+3 and Mitchell Lukacs and Brett Mitchell also scored. Nat Wilson collected two assists.
The Lumby Irly Bird Building Supplies Stars extended their Bantam undefeated streak to 11 games by shading the Salmon Arm Silverblades 2-1 at Sunwave Centre.
Jack O’Neil opened the scoring in the first period with an assist from Logan Meier. Cody Bauml, with a wrister from the top of the slot, assisted by Jayden Pedersen, rounded out the scoring.
Jake Desilets had his shutout bid with just seconds left. The Stars (10-0-1) are in a Nakusp tourney this weekend.
The Vernon Interior Savings Flyers defeated Vernon DCT Chambers 11-4 in other Bantam league play.
The Flyers got hat tricks from Eamon Miller and Landon Munk and a deuce from Jakob Marshall. Julian Haynes, Tim Ufimsteff and Nikolai Negraiff each added singles.
The Five Star Award Chiefs brushed back the North Okanagan Knights in Bantam action Saturday in Enderby and then ambushed the Salmon Arm North Broadview Silverblades Sunday.
Cameron Hitch (3), Alex Strutt and Donte Nowell clicked in the win over the Knights with Joe Tronson earning two helpers.
Hitch and Ryan Pelkey each pulled hat tricks versus Salmon Arm with Nowell adding 2+1 and singles going to Seltzer, Strutt and Daniel DeShane.
Carl Main had a very strong game with three assists and Pee Wee call-up Kaylan Lawrence supplied one helper.
Helping out up front was Lucas Williams and working hard on the blue line was Cole Adams. Goaltenders Trey Spanier and Tronson split the duties.
Linemates Braeden Cooper and Nick Mitchell each earned 1+1 as the Stevenson Mechanical Blues bounced the Vernon Seed Orchard Sharks 4-1 in Pee Wee Super League play Sunday at Wesbild Centre.
Braydie Allan and first star Nic Poirier also scored for the 4-0-1 Blues, who got solid play from d-man Cody Webb and winger Callum Leong. The all-female Sharks, who skated hard all game, dipped to 2-5-1.
