Marty Hastings
Kamloops This Week
Erik Bunce’s family was evacuated from Williams Lake on Saturday.
The Kamloops Venom runner was able to help them escape thoughts of raging wildfires with a memorable performance against the Vernon Tigers in Game 1 of the Thompson Okanagan Junior Lacrosse League final on Monday at Memorial Arena.
He opened the scoring in what turned out to be an 11-6 triumph for Kamloops and was later ejected from the game.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series between teams squaring off in the league final for the sixth straight year will be played in Vernon tonight, 7:30 p.m., at Kal Tire Place.
Bunce collected the ball in front of his own net and ran straight up main street to score and put Kamloops up 1-0 less than three minutes into the first period, sparking a roar from the 300-or-so fans in attendance, about 10 of whom were B.C. wildfire evacuees who were not asked to pay for tickets.
“They got evacuated two nights ago, my parents and three of my siblings, so they’re staying at our place in Aberdeen,” said Bunce, who moved to Kamloops to play lacrosse two years ago.
“It’s been tough, for sure, but they’re definitely hanging in there, keeping active. They’re volunteering to keep their minds off of it.”
The Bunces were able to enjoy Erik’s play for 40 minutes.
He blew a gasket after the whistle sounded to end the second period, engaging Tigers standout Steele Pelletier, who didn’t want much to do with the encounter.
The tussle ended in Pelletier’s facemask being ripped off and Bunce being handed a two-game suspension.
“The kid said some things and I just overreacted,” a much-calmer Bunce said after the game.
Kamloops roared out to a 5-1 lead, thanks in part to two first-period goals from captain Riley Peterson.
“It was a hell of a battle by our guys,” said Peterson, whose second goal of the game sparked a Vernon goaltending change, with Kyle McIntosh replacing Darnell Hauca.
Colton Boomer and Monty Chisholm also scored for the Venom in the first period and Chase Wirth put the Tigers on the board, wiring a shot that ricocheted off the glass, then off Kamloops netminder Matt Hans’ back and into the net.
The Tigers, playing with only 15 runners, fought back early in the second period, with Jordy Barr and Brett Olsen finding twine to reduce the Venom’s lead to 5-3, but Peterson and Riley Lawryk replied for Kamloops.
Lawryk’s family was also evacuated from Williams Lake on Saturday.
Jake Pelletier scored two goals for Vernon and Peterson notched his fourth marker of the game for Kamloops before the second intermission.
“They never stop competing,” said Kamloops coach Doug Clark said of the Tigers. “They’re well-coached and they keep battling. I’ve got a lot of respect for them.”
Mack Stead scored twice in the third frame, with Anthony Matusiak adding a single to round out the home team’s scoring.
Jake Pelletier notched his hat-trick goal for the Tigers, a long-range shot that found its way past Hans, who had a solid game between the pipes.
“We need to play a full 60, don’t take penalties and play our game,” Hauca said when asked what his Tigers must do to rebound from the loss.
Loose Balls: The Venom have won 14 straight games. Their last official loss was a 1-0 forfeit to the South Okanagan Flames May 15. Their last defeat with an actual game played was a 12-10 setback to the Tigers in Vernon May 13. The Tigers are the only team to beat Kamloops on the floor (twice)…Both the Tigers and Venom have secured berths to the B.C. Junior B championships Aug. 4-7 at Kal Tire Place…The West Coast Junior League is down to its semifinals with the New Westminster Salmonbellies, Coquitlam Adanacs and Port Moody Thunder having secured berths. The Port Coquitlam Saints and Delta Islanders play a deciding game in their quarterfinal Wednesday…On Vancouver Island, the Pacific Northwest Junior League’s best-of-five final is between the regular-season champion Westshore Bears and Saanich Tigers, with the winner coming to Vernon. The Tigers have swept the Bears the last three seasons.