Seb Lloyd scored the winner late in the second period as the West Kelowna Warriors grounded the host Penticton Vees 5-2 in B.C. Hockey League action Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Lloyd, named the game’s first star, earned an assist on Josh Monk’s insurance marker early in the third period, helping the Warriors improve to 19-11-1-1. They are seven points back of the first-place Vees (22-9-0-3) in the Interior Division.
Brennan Clark, with 54 seconds remaining in the first period, Shawn Hochhausen, netting a shorthanded marker 1:09 into the second frame, and Matt Anholt, with an empty-netter, completed the West Kelowna attack.
Penticton’s Wade Murphy opened the scoring with less than four minutes to play in the first period. Sam Mellor netted the 2-2 goal five minutes into the second period.
Warriors’ netminder Tyler Biggs recorded 22 saves for his 11th win. Chad Katunar had 35 stops in the loss.
In other Friday action, the Surrey Eagles upended the Chilliwack Chiefs 5-3 at South Surrey Arena.
The Eagles, third in the Mainland Division at 18-10-1-2, were led by Michael Stenerson’s two-goal, one-assist performance. Other Surrey offence came from Nicholas Pierog, with a goal and two helpers, and Demico Hannoun and Colton Mackie, each with a goal and assist.
The Chiefs, first in the Mainland at 21-9-1-1, got singles from Alexandre Perron-Fontaine, Trevor Hills and netminder Mitch Gillam, who was credited for a Surrey own-goal on a delayed Chiefs’ penalty.
Michael Santaguida made 23 saves for the win, and Gillam had 24 in the loss.
The Langley Rivermen used a goal and two assists from league scoring leader Mario Puskarich (23-24-47 in 32 games) to outgun the host Coquitlam Express 6-1 at Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre.
Mitch McLain, James Robinson, Evan Campbell and Derek Sutcliffe, each with a goal and assist, and Ben Butcher, with a single, rounded out the offence for Langley (12-14-1-5).
Rivermen netminder James Barr earned first star for his 46-save performance. Cole Huggins (24 saves) took the loss.
Philip Zielonka collected the lone goal for Coquitlam (16-16-1).
