The Sun Valley Source for Sports Vipers moved into first place in the Okanagan Mainline Bantam Tier 1 Hockey Association with a 2-1 victory over the Kamloops Jr. Blazers Saturday at Priest Valley Arena.
The Blazers, who just won the KIHBIT tournament, opened the scoring in the middle of the second period with Logan Stankoven beating Kobe Grant on a break away.
Vernon matched Kamloops all game and Steel Quiring tied it at 1-1 late in the second period from Colby Feist and Cam Moger.
Midway through the third period, Feist connected with the assist going to Zack Funk. Kamloops pressed hard but Grant recorded multiple clutch saves.
Forwards Trevor Kennedy and Porter Trevelyan also enjoyed strong showings as Vernon improved to 8-4. The Blazers are 7-4.
The Vipers dispatched the Kelowna Rockets 6-3 in a Bantam Tier 1 exhibition game Sunday afternoon at the Captial News Center.
Porter Trevelyan and Quiring each netted deuces with Moger and Trevor Kennedy adding singles in front of Cayden Hamming. Feist had three helpers with Mason Robinson getting two.
The Watkin Motors Pee Wee Tier 2 Mustangs opened 2017 with an 8-5 win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Sunday at the Sunwave Centre.
JJ MIlne (3+1), Jarred Feist (2+1), Deagan McMillan (2G) and Austin Roest (1+1) led the offence. Riley Cormier pocketed three helpers in front of Matthew Kuhnlein.
“There was definitely some rust in our first game after the break,” said Vernon head coach Trevor Seibel. “The boys had to battle in a very physical affair. Several kids have the bumps and bruises to show for it.”
The Mustangs are first at 11-1-2 and meet the second-place West Kelowna Warriors (10-1-3) Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at Kal Tire Place.
The Vernon Home Building Centre Vipers lost 5-1 to Williams Lake in Sunday’s final of the Kamloops Midget Tier 2 tournament.
Vernon fell behind 2-0 within the first six minutes and never recovered.
The Vipers earlier clipped the OHA Canucks 6-5, lost 3-2 to the Campbell River Tyees on a buzzer-beater goal, ambushed the Prince George Cougars 9-4 and punished Port Coquitlam 9-4 in the semis.
In Senior Atom Development play, Hudson Kibblewhite pocketed four goals as the Valley Wood Wolfpack bounced the Winfield Bruins 10-4 Sunday afternoon at PV Arena.
Linemate Ollie Reid produced 1+4, while Holly Magnus rang up a deuce and singles came from Cole Gartner and Jeffrey Curtis.