Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (19-8-1-2) are finishing off a stretch of 12 games in 25 days Saturday against the Trail Smoke Eaters (11-14-4-2), and with a win can push their record to 10-2 over that span.
Friday the Vees wrapped up a four-game road swing in Trail, bouncing back from a frustrating loss in Wenatchee to down the Smoke Eaters 7-4.
Ryan Sandelin scored twice while the Vees got singles from Eric Linell. David Silye. Mason Snell, Andre Ghantous and Cassidy Bowes in the win. Jack LaFontaine finished with 24 saves in the win. The goal for Ghantous snapped a 15-game goalless drought, in the building he called home for two seasons.
After Sandelin’s first goal of the game in the first period, the Vees had a lead of at least two goals for the remainder of the night.
The Vees used their power play to their advantage Friday night, scoring three times as the Smoke Eaters began getting frustrated as the game carried on. Trail forward Carter Jones was ejected from the game for a checking from behind call against Cassidy Bowes in the dying seconds of the second period.
The three man-advantage goals pushed Penticton’s power play to 22.5 per cent, good for second in the BCHL behind only the Victoria Grizzlies.
Penticton chased Trail starting goaltender Adam Marcoux after the seventh goal, bringing in 16-year-old Logan Terness. In his first ever junior hockey action, Terness turned aside all 15 shots he faced in relief.
The win, combined with a Merritt loss in Vernon, gave Penticton a three-point lead atop the Interior Division. Each game from Saturday until the Christmas break is imperative for the Vees, as all eight games are against Divisional opponents.
Including Saturday, the Vees will see Trail three times, Wenatchee twice, West Kelowna twice and Vernon once before the league takes it’s Christmas break beginning December 23.
Team Statistics
Leading Scorers
Penticton Vees
David Silye – 13G 27A 30GP
James Miller – 15G 24A 30GP
Eric Linell – 18G 19A 32GP
Trail Smoke Eaters
Chase Stevenson – 12G 14A 30GP
Braeden Tuck – 10G 16A 31GP
Carter Jones – 9G 17A 31GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power Play – 22.5 per cent (2nd in BCHL)
Penalty Kill – 83.1 per cent (6th in BCHL)
Trail Smoke Eaters
Power Play – 20.7 per cent (5th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill – 76.3 per cent (16th in BCHL)
Season Series
November 10, 2018 – Vees 4 vs Smoke Eaters 3 OT Boxscore
November 30, 2019 – Vees 7 @ Smoke Eaters 4 Boxscore
December 1, 2018 – Vees vs Smoke Eaters
December 14, 2018 – Vees vs Smoke Eaters
December 15, 2018 – Vees @ Smoke Eaters
February 13, 2019 – Vees @ Smoke Eaters