Photo: Cherie Morgan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PENTICTON, B.C.- Make it a dozen. The Penticton Vees won their 12th consecutive game on Wednesday, coming from behind to beat the Cranbrook Bucks 4-3 in overtime at the SOEC.
The win is a new record for the best start in franchise history, as the Vees have won their first 12 games to start the season.
Wednesday was the Vees second come from behind win in the last week and they erased a 3-1 deficit for the second time in their last three games. Penticton came back from being down 3-1 to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs last Thursday at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack.
Bradly Nadeau was the overtime hero, again, as he scored on the power play at 2:40 to send over 2,700 fans into a frenzy. His second OT winner this season as well. Bradly’s power play goal was his team-best 11th of the season and second point of the night. Bradly’s older brother Josh, along with Thomas Pichette, and Frank Djurasevic scored in the win.
Luca Di Pasquo stopped 22 of 25 stops in just under 63-minutes of work, as he improved his record to 9-0. His counterpart was much busier.
Cranbrook’s Nathan Airey was peppered by the Vees all night, as he faced 55 shots in the Bucks’ crease. Airey finished with 51 saves, including facing 27 shots in the first period alone.
Carsyn Good, Jack Silich, and Rhys Bentham scored for the Bucks, who started a three-game Okanagan road trip Wednesday. Cranbrook travels to Salmon Arm Friday and Vernon Saturday.
The Bucks did something Wednesday that no other team has had done this season- score first on the Vees.
Good’s power play goal at 9:18 broke a scoreless deadlock between the two teams, as Cranbrook went ahead 1-0 in the opening frame.
Penticton kept pressing and finally manufactured an equalizer inside the final two minutes of the opening period. Pichette tied the game on the Vees’ second crack at the man advantage. With less than two minutes left in the first, Pichette jammed the rebound past Airey for his fifth goal at 18:18 to tie it 1-1. That 1-1 tie didn’t last long.
One minute and 16 seconds after the Vees tied it, the Bucks went back ahead. Jack Silich was awarded a penalty shot with less than half a minute left in the first. The Bucks forward made no mistake, wiring the puck up and over the stick of Di Pasquo.
Cranbrook added to their lead early in the second period, as their Captain put them ahead 3-1. Bentham finished off a great pass from Silich, as he reached out and redirected the puck up, underneath the crossbar at 4:39.
Not long after the Vees found themselves down for four minutes as they were called for a double minor high-sticking penalty. A potentially major turning point in the game. Penticton managed to kill-off the lengthy penalty and that seemed to provide them with a spark.
Josh Nadeau made it a 3-2 after he tapped in a cross-ice pass from younger brother Bradly, during a five-on-three power play at 9:48. Josh’s sixth of the season was one of three power play goals the Vees scored on Saturday.
Penticton kept coming and they manufactured an equalizer late in the middle frame. Djurasevic took a dish out from behind net from Beanie Richter and went upstairs at 16:47 to level it 3-3. Richter followed his own rebound behind the net, before he curled out, and fired a pass to the pinching Djurasevic.
There was no scoring in the third, so jump right to overtime where there was a flurry of chances. Di Pasquo came up clutch, as he stopped not one but two breakaways in the extra frame. Di Pasquo first stopped Bentham, then he denied Nick Peluso. Peluso was dinged for goalie interference and that penalty proved costly.
On the four-on-three power play, Bradly Nadeau hammered a one-timer past Airey on the blocker side, as he scored his 11th of the season at 2:40 of overtime.
GAME NOTES
If you include last season’s playoffs, the Vees have won 28-straight games dating back to March 31st, 2022. Penticton won 16-straight playoff games last spring on their way to winning the 2022 Fred Page Cup. Wednesday marked the first time the Vees had been scored on first in 12 games this season. Penticton’s 27 first period shots is a new season high. Their previous best in the opening frame was 18. The Vees three power play goals matches a season high set against the Trail Smoke Eaters back on opening night.
GAME STATS
Final Score: 4-3 (OT), Vees
Vees Scoring: Bradly Nadeau, Josh Nadeau, Pichette, Djurasevic
Shots: 55-25, Vees
Vees PP: 3/5
Vees PK: 2/3
Three Stars
- Bradly Nadeau (Vees)
- Nathan Airey (Bucks)
- Brett Moravec (Vees)
Attendance: 2,774
Next Game: Friday, Penticton (12-0-0-0) takes their win streak up the highway to face their rivals, the West Kelowna Warriors (8-1-2-0) at Royal LePage Place; puck drop 7:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Bounce 800 am, or watch on www.BCHLTV.ca
