The Vernon Coca-Cola Vipers opened the Winfield Bruins Invitational Midget Tier 3 hockey tournament with a 5-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets Friday morning.
Lee Springer, from Jorden Dewing, opened the scoring at 10:09 of the first period as he swatted in a loose puck in front of the Kelowna net. Graham Jones, from Jack Pawsey, doubled the lead just 36 seconds later on a bullet from inside the hashmarks.
The Rockets scored two goals late in the first period to equalize. Jones and Jeff Bochon, both unassisted, scored midway through the second frame to give the Vipers another two-goal lead.
Scott Latwat, from Springer, completed the offence with an empty netter with just under a minute remaining.
Evan Campagnalo stopped 22 shots, while the Vipers had 37 shots. The Vipers played Castlegar and Merritt in round-robin play Saturday.
In other Friday Midget action, the Home Building Centre Vipers clipped the host North Kamloops Lions in Tier 1 play 4-3 Friday Night at Memorial Arena.
The Vipers took a 1-0 lead halfway through the first period on a breakaway by Chad Thomas. Logan Geefs and Layne Greene picked up assists. Kamloops clicked twice on the powerplay to take a 3-1 lead in the second period before Wyatt Warnes answered for Vernon, assisted by Geefs and Kenny Batke.
Cole Woodliffe, assisted by Curtis Sexsmith and Batke, tied it up in the final period. Blaine Caton buried the winner seconds later on a nice rush, scoring short side on Kamloops’ netminder. Chad Thomas and Griffin Fried picked up assists.
Bruin Stair was solid in earning the win.
In Bantam Tier 1 play at Priest Valley Arena, the Sun Valley Source for Sports Renegades got their weekend off to a thrilling start with a 3-2 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Vernon goals came from Josh DeCoffe, Jagger Williams and Nick Higgs, with helpers from Donte Nowell, Matt Kowalski, Williams and Higgs.
In addition to scoring, Higgs dealt out some huge hits and proved cool when under pressure in his own end to help Keiran Watts record the win.
Trail collected both goals with the man advantage. Vernon hosts the Smokies in a rematch today, 10:30 a.m. at Civic Arena.
The Sladen Moore Lakers opened female Bantam A league play with a 3-2 win over the Prince George Cougars Friday night at Civic.
After a tight-checking first period, the Cougars took the lead on a powerplay goal in the second frame. The Lakers responded with a tally from Olivia Comeau, on a nice feed from Andie Kaneda.
The game remained close until Prince George took a late penalty, and the Lakers capitalized with a point from Hunter Joseph.
The Lakers’ Ripley Burd then converted a nice pass from Samantha Head from behind the net to give the hosts a two-goal cushion.
The Cougars scored with 3:34 remaining to make it a one-goal game, but Laker goalie Bailey Berndt stood tall the rest of the way.
The Lakers and the Cougars met again Saturday.
The Nixon Wenger Rattlers fell 8-2 to the Kelowna Jr. Rockets in Pee Wee Tier 3 exhibition action Friday night at Priest Valley Arena.
The Rattlers went up 2-0 in the first on goals by Cory Lazar, from Aidan Rysen, and an unassisted tally by Eric Noren.
Kelowna capitalized with four powerplay goals in a three-minute span midway through the second, and the Rattlers never recovered.
In North Okanagan Pee Wee Super League play Friday night at Civic, Owen Spannier fired five goals as the Winfield #1 Bruins bounced the Bannister GM Flames 11-8.
Nick Mitchell scored five times for the Flames, who got a deuce from first star Chase Batchelor and a single from Callum Leong.
