The Scotiabank Velocity moved closer to the North Okanagan Bantam Super Hockey League lead with a pair of weekend wins.
The second-place Velocity (11-1-1) opened by stopping the North Okanagan Knights 7-2 with Marshall Box scoring four times Saturday at the Enderby Arena.
Marcus Finn, Josh Vangameren and Jeff Hiscoe, also scored for the Velocity, who got two assists from Isaiah Wenger. The fourth-place Knights dipped to 6-6-3.
Finn supplied four goals as the Velocity ambushed the Salmon Arm North Broadview Silverblades 7-4 Sunday at the Shaw Centre.
Hiscoe, Brandon Magnus and Wenger did a stellar job on a 5-on-3 penalty kill with Wenger stealing the puck four times and eventually working his way past a few defenders going roof daddy on a breakaway. Wenger finished with 2+2.
Jeremy Pogue scored a beauty from Seth Blundell and Wenger to complete the Scotiabank offence. The Silverblades fell to 2-12-1.
The Lumby Stars hold down first spot at 13-0-2 so the Velocity have two games in hand.
Tropics trump Titans 8-3
In Midget Super League play, the Vernon Authentic Plaque & Trophy Tropics ambushed the first-place Nedco Titans 8-3 Sunday night at Civic Arena.
The Tropics rung up a 5-1 lead at the break and cruised with captain Russell Hickman supplying 2+1 and Adam Fenske and Brock Wagner each earning 2+1.
Cameron Strike, who anchored a sold showing by the ever-pinching Tropics’ blueliners, added 1+2, while power forward Brett Vandale wired a slapshot bar down.
Mitch Cousins (2A), Connor Smidt, Justin Hiscoe and Russel Negraiff rounded out the 9-2-1 Tropics’ defensive corps in front of a steady Luke Vandale.
D-man Quin Finocchio, Josh Lerbeck and Mark Francis countered for the 12-2-1 Titans, who split goaltending duties between Rodger Sewell and Zoran Bos.
The 12-team Vernon Midget Rec Tournament opens today at 1:45 p.m. with the Talon Benefits Ajax meeting Kelowna at Civic Arena.
The KT’s Thunder battle Kamloops at 3:45 p.m. (Priest Valley), while the Titans go up against Westside at 4 p.m. (Civic).
Summerland plays Penticton #2 at 6 p.m. (PV Arena), while the Corbett Office Plus Cowboys take on Williams Lake at 6:15 (Civic).
The Tropics go up against Penticton #1 at 8:30 (Civic).
There are a dozen preliminary games Saturday with the A final scheduled for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Civic. The B final is 2:15 p.m., also at Civic.
Predators go 2-1-1
The Lakeside Printing Predators went 2-1-1 and finished fifth in the 12-team Salmon Arm Pee Wee Rec Tournament.
Reid Lawrence counted five goals and Landon Currie recorded 4+3 as the Predators zapped the Kelowna Blues 15-2 in playoff action Sunday.
Cole Martin scored twice, while Mac Gilchrist earned 1+3 and other goals came from game MVP Tyson Sampert, Jacob Soucy and Colton Schaper-Kotter. Dallas Howard had two helpers.
The Preds started with a 9-5 loss to the Westside Wild Warriors. Vernon got two goals apiece from Howard and Schaper-Kotter and one from Sampert. Currie and Kimberly Whitelaw each drew a pair of assists. Ryan Jakes took MVP.
The Lakeside crew followed up by tying the Kamloops Blue Frost 5-5 with Currie scoring four times, including the late equalizer. Martin added a single and Lawrence was voted MVP.
Currie garnered MVP honours and finished with 4+2 as the Preds upended the Salmon Arm Warriors 10-5. Lawrence and Gilchrist each netted two goals, while Chris Aldrich and Sampert contributed singles.
Noah Foufoulas and Cameron MacKenzie were solid in sharing the weekend net chores.
Blues brush off Stars
In Pee Wee Super League action, captain Aaron Botterill, first star Sean Howard and Nick Mitchell each provided 2+1 as the Stevenson Mechanical Blues bounced the Lumby Stars 9-2 Saturday at Wesbild Centre.
Kaylan Lawrence, with 1+2, Braeden Cooper and Samantha Head completed the Blues’ offence. Winger Nic Poirier (3A) and d-man Adam Raber (2A) also had solid games in front of Riley Bos. Tyler Yule and Josh Litven replied for the Stars.
The Vernon Seed Orchard Female Bantam Sharks lost 4-2 to the North Okanagan Knights in other Pee Wee Super League play.
Hannah Scherck continued her hot streak by scoring a beautiful breakaway goal on a set up by Molly Crandlemire, and then she scored on a penalty shot, deking out Denver Trumbley.
Ethan Maarhuis, Ethan Senger, Matthew Dolinar and Cody Huber scored for the Knights (7-3-3)
Cailee Bauml and Lexes Adams created many chances but were unable to score, and Taylor Cousins played strong in front of goaltender Bailey Berndt. The Sharks dropped to 3-10-1.
