Walker's hat trick lifts Eastern over Victoria and into win column

Beau Walker capped a three-goal, four-point night with two critical third period markers to lead Eastern Washington University to a 5-3 home ice victory over the University of Victoria on Friday night in Cheney.

With the win, Eastern earns their first two points and moves to 1-8-0-0 on the season. They now sit just one point behind the Vikes with the teams set to meet again on Saturday.

Walker opened the scoring midway through the first period and the Eagles quickly built a two-goal lead on Austin Breen's first of the season. But the Vikes replied before intermission, as Liam Shaw and Jack Palmer scored 17 seconds apart to tie the game.

The team exchanged second period goals as Brandon Volpe put UVic up early, but Colton St. John evened the score with 1:25 remaining in the period on a goal assisted by Walker.

Eastern's leading scorer then took over in the third, scoring the game winner on a breakaway before sealing the win when he blasted a one-timer past Vikes netminder Alec Dillon on the power play.

The hat trick was the seventh of Walker's BCIHL career, which has spanned 63 games over four seasons.

Austin Brihn picked up the win in net for EWU with a 35-save effort while Dillon faced 45 shots in the loss.

With the victory, Eastern now sits just one point back of UVic for fifth place in the BCIHL standings with an opportunity to pulll ahead when the two-game weekend series concludes on Saturday evening. With three points, the Vikes sit seven back of Vancouver Island University for the league's fourth and final playoff berth.

Saturday's game is set for a 7:00 PM faceoff and will be broadcast live on Hockey TV.