Week 20: Logjam atop standings

Three teams will be battling for first place over the final three weeks of the regular season.

The Kamloops Vibe earned six points from their final four-game trip of the regular season to catch the Meadow Ridge Moose and Fraser Valley Jets atop the SCWHL standings. The Vibe and Moose trail the defending champion Jets by one point. Kamloops has only two games remaining, the Moose and Jets each have three games left.

The Vibe began their busy weekend with a 2-1 decision over the North Shore Rebels at Queen’s Park Arena. Melinda Smith and Jenna Ormondy tallied two minutes apart late in the second period to give the visitors a two-goal cushion going into the final 20 minutes.

Andrea Michelle Benac pulled the Rebels to within one with a powerplay goal with eight minutes remaining. North Shore outshot the Vibe 18-6 in the final frame, but managed only one goal against Kamloops netminder Ashley Fisher.

The two clubs met again Saturday night at Queen’s Park, and played to a 1-1 tie. Marjorie Boisvert scored the Kamloops goal less than four minutes into the game, and Nicole Charlton netted the tying goal while shorthanded late in the second period. Kira Richardson was a standout in the Rebels net, stopping 32 of 33 shots.

Kamloops played to a 1-1 tie with the Jets Sunday afternoon at Planet Ice – Delta. After a scoreless first period, Alannah Kedra put Fraser Valley ahead in the second period. Rochelle Smith tied the game with 15 minutes remaining.

The Vibe earned a huge 3-0 win over the Moose Saturday morning at the Langley Sportsplex, outshooting their hosts 24-18 and getting goals from Rochelle Smith, Chantelle Beadman-Rolph and Emily Edmundson. Fisher made 18 saves for the shutout.

The loss was the first of two for the Moose on Saturday. Meadow Ridge lost 3-0 to the Richmond Devils that evening at the Richmond Ice Centre in a makeup game.

The Devils built a 3-0 lead after just 10 minutes of play on goals by Emily Chau, Marissa Chau and Stefanie Costales. Jenelle Stam stopped 37 shots for her first shutout of the season.

The Devils are three points back of the sixth-place Rebels in a race for the final playoff position, with three games remaining.