At this rate, the Penticton Vees are likely wishing there was more than just 365 days in a calendar year. In their second game of the New Year, the Vees threw up another six-spot, thumping the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 6-1 at the SOEC Saturday.
Scott Conway was at the epicenter of the offense, picking up his second hat-trick of 2016, and finished with a game-high four points. Nicholas Jones, Colton Poolman and Taylor Ward also scored for the Vees, and Anthony Brodeur recorded his 19th win of the year, in a 27-save performance.
Conway, who had a hat-trick Friday, picked up where he left off against Vernon. Eight-minutes into the game, the 20-year-old quickly roofed a backhand over Angus Redmond after a face-off in the Silverbacks end; Conway going upstairs for his 35th.
Then an unlikely source doubled the Vees lead late in the opening frame, as Colton Poolman scored his second of the season, just past the 16-minute mark. The North Dakota commitment walked off the boards and his change-up from the slot snuck underneath a baffled Redmond at 16:01.
Eight-minutes into the second, the Vees were at it again, as Jones pushed the lead to three. David Eccles did a great job of keeping the puck in at the blue-line, before Jones got his stick to his point-shot at 7:57; Jones hitting the double-digit goal plateau.
Conway popped up on the scoresheet eight-minutes later, bagging his second of the game on a rebound out front. Dante Fabbro had his point-shot stopped, but Conway was there on the doorstep to clean things up at 15:32. Then he got the hat-trick goal a minute and a half later. He was Johnny on the spot again, tucking a rebound upstairs from the side of the net at 17:11; his 37th and six in two games.
Ward capped off the four-goal onslaught in the second with a great exhibition of hand-eye coordination. Seamus Donohue fired a puck to the net from the blue-line and Ward reached out with the shaft of his stick, and bunted the puck up and over the Silverbacks goaltender at 17:36; his second of the year.
Salmon Arm starter Angus Redmond was pulled after the sixth goal and affiliate back-up Nic Tallarico finished out the last 37-minutes.
An eventful second period was capped off with Captain Tyson Jost shedding the mitts in a spiriting bought with Salmon Arm’s Damien Chrcek
The only blemish on the Vees first home game of 2016 was Salmon Arm’s Josh Blanchard spoiling Brodeur’s shutout bid late in the third on a power-play goal at 15:43.
Final Score: 6-1 Vees
Shots: 35-28 Vees
Power-Plays: Vees 1-6 Salmon Arm 1-2
Three Stars: 1) Scott Conway 2) Nicholas Jones 3) Colton Poolman
Attendance: 2,576
Scott Conway now has six goals and nine points in his first two games of 2016. Tyson Jost has his 19-game point streak snapped in the win. Anthony Brodeur remains undefeated on the season, sporting a 19-0-1-0 record. The Vees are now 2-2 in four games against Salmon Arm, and are a still undefeated at home this year, owning a 19-0-1-0 record; 18-0-1-0 at the SOEC.
The Vees (33-4-1-0) head back to Vernon next Friday, January 8th, for another match up with the Vipers, before returning home Saturday, January 9th, for a rematch with the ‘Backs.
