Junior hockey: Penticton hosts all-star weekend, Rockets down Giants

Players from Team Coastal celebrate a goal during the BCHL’s Top Prospects Game in Penticton, B.C., on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024.

A roundup of junior hockey results from the Okanagan and area.

WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE

KELOWNA 5, VANCOUVER 2

The Rockets gave up the game’s first goal on Friday night, but that was the only lowlight in what was a successful evening for the home team.

At Prospera Place, Tij Iginla tallied a natural hat trick as Kelowna scored three unanswered goals in the third period to defeat the Vancouver Giants.

Andrew Cristall and Ethan Neutens also scored for Kelowna (21-19-2-0), which trailed 1-0 after the Giants scored at 4:56 of the first period, but tied the game at 14:27, then forged ahead 2-1 midway through the second.

Cameron Schmidt, who opened the scoring, and Samuel Honzek, who made it 2-2 with a power-play goal at 7:33 of the third, scored for Vancouver (17-24-2-0).

Video: BCHL All Star Weekend Series: Penticton Vees

Iginla made it 3-2 at 11:52, then scored again just minutes later with a short-handed marker at 14:41. The sophomore forward closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal at 18:23.

In 40 games this season, Iginla has 31 goals and 55 points.

Jake Pilon stopped 24 of 26 shots for the Rockets, with Matthew Hutchison turning aside 29 of 33 shots for the Giants.

Kelowna was 0-for-1 on the power play while Vancouver was 1-for-5.

The two teams don’t play Saturday but will meet again Sunday afternoon in Langley.

Earlier in the week, Kelowna fell 5-4 to Portland (27-11-2-1), a loss that snapped the Rockets’ seven-game winning streak on home ice.

Also in that contest, Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc became the franchise’s leader for most points by a European player. He finished the night with an assist, giving him 174 points, edging past former leader Vaclav Varada.

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On Friday, he tallied two assists. For the season, Szturc – who also became Kelowna’s first European captain – has 21 goals and 56 points in 36 games.

Friday’s results

• Saskatoon 4, Calgary 3
• Edmonton 6, Prince Albert 4
• Red Deer 3, Medicine Hat 1
• Prince George 3, Portland 2
• Lethbridge 6, Regina 2
• Everett 11, Spokane 1
• Moose Jaw 5, Swift Current 3
• Seattle 3, Tri-City 1

Saturday’s games

• Lethbridge at Brandon
• Swift Current at Moose Jaw
• Portland at Prince George
• Prince Albert at Red Deer
• Medicine Hat at Regina
• Tri-City at Seattle
• Kamloops at Victoria
• Spokane at Wenatchee

Sunday’s games

• Kelowna at Vancouver
• Medicine Hat at Brandon
• Prince Albert at Calgary
• Saskatoon at Edmonton
• Tri-City at Everett
• Wenatchee at Seattle
• Kamloops at Victoria

Video: Helping more Canadians kids play hockey

B.C. HOCKEY LEAGUE

There are no regular-season games this weekend as the BCHL is hosting its all-star weekend in Penticton.

“(Penticton) is a place where they really appreciate the BCHL,” said league CEO Chris Hebb. “The Vees and the City of Penticton have really rolled out the red carpet.

“The event today is going to be even better than our 60th anniversary (last year in Penticton) because they’ve put a lot around it now in terms of turning into a winter festival with our game being the central point.”

Hebb said the BCHL “is a league that this entire province should be proud of. We’re in 17 communities, and in many of those communities it’s the biggest sports show in town.”

On Friday night, the league held its top prospects game at the South Okanagan Events Centre, with Team Coastal smashing Team Interior 10-3.

On Saturday, the league will hold its skills competition at the Penticton Outdoor Rink at noon. Events include the fastest skater, passing, hardest shot, accuracy shooting and a breakaway relay.

Also Saturday, the league hosts its alumni and friends game, from 1 to 2 p.m., followed by a three-on-three all-star game starting at 2:30 p.m.

On Sunday, a community skate will take place from 10 a.m. to noon.

Video: Call of the Wilde

KIJHL

Friday’s results

• Creston Valley 5, Kimberley 2
• Osoyoos 5, Kelowna 4 (OT)
• Kamloops 5, 100 Mile House 4
• Princeton 6, Revelstoke 3
• Sicamous 3, Fernie 2 (OT)
• Beaver Valley 5, Columbia Valley 1
• Nelson 6, Castlegar 1
• Spokane 4, Chase 2
• North Okanagan 7, Summerland 3

Saturday’s results

• Creston Valley at Golden
• Fernie at Revelstoke
• Princeton at Sicamous
• Chase at Beaver Valley
• Columbia Valley at Nelson
• Castlegar at Spokane
• Osoyoos at North Okanagan
• Kamloops at Summerland

Sunday’s games

• Spokane at Grand Forks
• Chase at Nelson
• Golden at Kimberley