Vees vs. Express
The Penticton Vees saw their ten game win streak come to an end on Valentine’s Day when the Coquitlam Express steamed into town. It was a contest between the two sides who sit at the top of the BCHL table – a hard and tough battle until the final whistle.
Express forward Adam Trotman opened the scoring on the power play, but Regina native Lukas Sillinger had a rather quick response, beating Coquitlam netminder Clay Stevenson. The game was tied at one at the first intermission.
The action in the second started early with five minor penalties within the first five minutes of the period. Both teams capitalized on the man advantage as Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jay O’Brien scored his 24th of the season for Penticton while Cooper Connell of the Express picked up his 17th on the year. Deuces ran wild after the second period with the score knotted at 2-2.
It was a calm, cool, and collected third period with only one penalty taken at the midway mark by the Vees’ Colton Kalezic. All scoring in the frame came from Express sniper Greg Lapointe who came in on a breakaway and slid it past goalie Yaniv Perets. The Vees lost 3-2, but had the chance to start a new win streak in less than 24 hours.
Vees vs. Bulldogs
The Bulldogs from Alberni Valley came into the South Okanagan Events Centre after getting shutout 5-0 by Trail on Valentine’s Day.
It was a 5-on-3 for the Bulldogs who took full advantage with two Vees in the box to open the scoring. Mitch Deelstra found the back of the net beating Perets. The Vees trailed going into the second period, but Jackson Niedermayer scored to tie the game at one. The deadlock didn’t last long as Matthew Grouchy put the Dogs up again less than a minute later.
The third started with the Vees trailing by a goal. The play, for the most part, had a back and forth pace, which lead to chances for the Vees, but they couldn’t find the back of the net until late in the game and they tied it with just 8.1 seconds left.
Niedermayer scored the goal to send things into extra time, squeaking the puck through the five-hole on Bulldogs goalie Scott Bird. Just 16 seconds into the fourth period, Vees forward Steve Holtz ripped a shot past Bird for the game-winning goal.
The three stars of the game all came from the Vees. Niedermayer was the first star with two goals while, Sillinger and Perets were the second and third with outstanding performances.
The next two games for the Vees are against the Wenatchee Wild as both teams will end their regular season in a back to back at the SOEC.
The playoffs for Penticton begins on February 27 when the Vees host the West Kelowna Warriors for games one and two in the first round.
