The North Zone Midget Tier 1 Kings swept the East Kootenay Ice 8-2 and 6-1 in Okanagan Mainline Midget Tier 1 Hockey League play in Kimberley.
Lee Christensen opened the scoring for the Kings Saturday on a powerplay, assisted by captain Joe Eggert at 16:10 of the first period.
Braden Koran answered for the Ice at 10:32, but Cameron Moger put the Kings ahead three minutes later when he jumped up into the play and went five-hole. Dawson Chase drew the assist.
Cameron Ried replied for the Ice on a end-to-end effort that caught the Kings’ penalty killers sleeping.
Eric Noren pushed the Kings up 3-2, assisted by Nic Teale. From then on, the Kings took full control. Eggert from Noren, at 11:14, and Chase from Damian Coljee-Fehr, on the power play, put North Zone ahead by three after the middle frame. Christensen from Eli Dwyer, Teale from Aidan Rysen, and Eggert, on a 5-on-3 penalty kill, beat a Kootenay defender wide, to finish the offence. Tyler Sedlacek took the win with 18 stops.
In Sunday’s meeting, Chase jumpstarted the offence on a gorgeous cross-ice pass from Moger. Christensen drew the secondary assist on the powerplay.
The teams traded goals in the second period with Christensen, assisted by Dylan Huber and Coljee-Fehr, counting for the Kings. Eggert from Noren, at 8:05 of the third, put the Kings up 3-1. Kohen Martin, Eggert and Coljee-Fehr rounded out the scoring while Noren, Jaron Bootsma, Teale and Huber recorded assists. Caleb Mitchell recorded 15 saves.
The Kings leadership group also includes Chase, Dylan Sedlacek and, Aidan Rysen. as alternate captains. Head coach Jared Barendregt gets help from Jim Armstrong, Jared Seutter and trainer Randy Todosychuk.
Meanwhile, the Okanagan Rockets were a period away from a sweep of the Kootenay Ice but ended up settling for a split with their B.C. Major Midget League opponents at the Capital News Centre.
On Saturday, Roman Basran earned the shutout as the hometown Rockets blanked the Ice 3-0. Captain Mitchell Gove, Jordan Lowry and Ethan Schaeffer scored Okanagan’s goals, while Vernon’s Ben King added a pair of assists.On Sunday, the Ice overcame a 2-1 deficit with a pair of third-period goals to post a 3-2 win over the Rockets. Kootenay evened the score on a powerplay just past the six-minute of the final period, then tallied the winner with 7:40 to play.
The Kings open their home tournament Friday 7:15 p.m. against the Delta Hockey Academy at Civic Arena.
Schaeffer and Vernon’s Scott Gilowski scored the Rockets’ goals. Okanagan (6-4) is tied for sixth in the BCMML but is just a point back of three teams for third spot.
The Rockets return to action this weekend at home to the Greater Vancouver Canadians (6-5-0-1). Game time Saturday at CNC is 3 p.m., followed by a 10 a.m. start on Sunday.
The undefeated Coca-Cola Midget Tier 3 Vipers (14-0) resumed their snipe show by ambushing the Salmon Arm Silvertips 13-1 and grounding Clearwater 8-2.
Gavin Fleck fired three goals as the Vipers won Saturday afternoon in Clearwater. KT Walters added 2+1, while Lincoln Connor, Cory Lazar, Trevor Kennedy and Jacob Brewer bagged singles. Ethan Joe earned two helpers in front of Jadon Foster.
Lazar connected four times as Vernon slammed the Silvertips Sunday night at Civic Arena.
Carter Wiebe and Joe each registered deuces, while other goals came from Mason Robinson, Kennedy, Fleck, Walters and Russel Borrett in support of Koltin Dodge.
In Bantam Tier 3 play, Vernon Sun Valley Source For Sports Vipers lost a pair.
Chris Reinhardt (2) and Chris Bond handled the Vernon offence Saturday in a 5-3 loss to the Trail Smoke Eaters at Priest Valley Arena.
Reinhardt pulled the hat-trick in Sunday’s 9-6 loss in Kamloops with singles coming from Cody Beckner, Cash Anderson and Reilly Teager. Anderson netted a beauty on a steal and wraparound, while Teager converted after a strong forecheck and stuffed the puck short side. Beckner took a feed from Tyler Burke and sniped from the top of the circle.
The Watkin Motors Mustangs throttled the host Trail Smoke Eaters 11-1 in Pee Wee Tier 2 play Saturday with Eric Pastro supplying four goals.
Deagan McMillan (3), JJ Milne (2+2) and d-man Cosmo Wilson completed the offence. D-man Brayden Schwaerzle had two helpers in support of Austin Seibel. The teams tied 6-6 Friday night.