The South Okanagan Flames were as hot as the temperature inside Kal Tire Place in Vernon Saturday.
With the arena’s air conditioning malfunctioning, and a Vernon Iron Ghost Construction Tigers’ season-high attendance of more than 400 fans in the building, the Flames rolled to an impressive 16-7 Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League victory June 4.
The loss extends Vernon’s winless streak at home to five games.
South Okanagan, who dressed five affiliate players for the contest, scored in the first minute of each period, collected a pair of powerplay goals and scored twice shorthanded.
The Flames led 3-2 after 20 minutes and extended the margin to 9-4 after two periods, thanks to four goals in the middle frame from Chay Gettens, including a natural hat trick.
Veteran Carson Shortreed led South OK with a 10-point night, four goals and six assists. Taynon Charters, one of the AP players, had three goals, all in the third period, and Keegan Allen scored twice including a beauty over-the-shoulder marker in the opening frame.
Single goals went to Tagg Moog (two assists), Griffin Semple and Ethan Konno. Call-up Tanner Sunderman had two assists and goalie Connor Danby got onto the offensive part of the scoresheet for the Flames, picking up a long bomb of an assist on a Shortreed breakaway goal. Danby made 38 saves for the win.
Vernon veteran Kael Black scored four times, and made a couple of beauty defensive plays, running down Flames’ attackers on breakaways. Jacob Brewer had a goal and two helpers while singles went to Caden Colmorgen and Tayber McLean.
Derek Pereboom made 36 saves for the Tigers.
Things didn’t get any better for Vernon 24 hours later, as they dropped a 15-3 decision to the Venom in Kamloops (scoring summary unavailable). The victory was Kamloops’ seventh in a row after losing their season-opener.
In Kamloops on Saturday, the Venom dispatched the Armstrong Shamrocks 18-3, scoring seven times in the opening period.
Trey Dergousoff and Seamus Bankier each had five-point games for Kamloops. Robert Gerow made 37 saves in goal for the win.
Caden Peters scored twice for Armstrong, Jorge Hall had the other marker. Ryley Lockhurst made 36 saves in the Shamrocks goal.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Sunday, June 5, at 10:40 a.m. to include Armstrong-Kamloops result
Editor’s note2: This story was updated again Monday, June 6, at 3 p.m. with the Kamloops-Vernon result
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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