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Game Recap: Pichette scores in OT in West Kelowna, Vees clinch Interior Division

by fraserr

Photo: Tami Quan

Boxscore

WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The Penticton Vees clinched their 12th consecutive Interior Conference Regular Season title on Friday, with their 4-3 overtime win against the West Kelowna Warriors at Royal LePage Place.

Thomas Pichette was the overtime hero, as he scored 4:16 into the extra frame, as Penticton locked up top spot in their conference and have home ice throughout the Interior playoffs.

“It was an emotional win. We didn’t have a lead the entire game, but we kept battling back and that speaks to the growth of our group. Everyone stepped up in their own way tonight. It feels pretty good to win the division in very tough building,” commented Assistant Coach Matthew Vanden Berg post-game.

Larry Keenan, celebrating his 19th birthday, scored in regulation, and finished with three points (1G, 2A). Connor MacPherson, and Billy Renfrew also scored for the Vees. Pichette (1G, 1A), Renfrew (1G, 1A) and Callum Arnott (0G, 2A) each had two point games.

Goaltender Andrew Ness earned his 16th win as he stopped 27 of 30 shots in the Vees’ crease.

Friday was the Vees’ second overtime win in West Kelowna in a week, as they posted a 2-1 victory over the Warriors on March 8th. Penticton split the four games at RLP after going winless in their first two visits.

Penticton never led up until the overtime goal by Pichette. The Vees came back from three one-goal deficits, trailing 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 before forcing overtime. Friday was the Vees’ 10th come from behind win.

West Kelowna’s Jack Pridham opened the scoring midway through the opening frame. The Boston University commit scored from the circle, over Ness’ glove, at 11:50 to put the Warriors up 1-0.

34 seconds after the Warriors’ opening goal, Penticton tied it off the stick of Keenan. Off a face-off win, the puck came back to the Detroit Red Wings’ prospect and Keenan put his wrist shot over the goalie’s shoulder from the blue line at 12:24.

The Warriors retook the lead just past the midway mark in the middle frame. On a power play, Jackson Kyrkostas put West Kelowna up 2-1 with his goal from the slot at 10:51

Penticton didn’t take long to respond to that goal either, as three minutes after the Warriors went ahead again, it was Connor MacPherson tying it up. MacPherson’s goal made it 2-2 at 14:10. MacPherson’s equalizer off the rush came just one second after a Vees’ power play ended.

In the third, the Warriors went ahead a third time on Carter Oakenfold’s first career goal in the BCHL. Oakenfold pounced on a rebound off the pad of Ness at 7:59 to make it 3-2 Warriors.

Just like their previous two, the Warriors third lead of the night didn’t last long. 21 seconds after going down a goal, Penticton tied it up, again, on Renfrew’s goal at 8:20. Arnott made a great cross-ice pass from his knees to spring Renfrew, who went beat the goalie over the glove that tied it at 3-3.

In overtime, Pichette took advantage of a poor line change by the Warriors, as he used the extra space to cut to the middle and squeeze his shot through Rorke Applebee’s arm.

GAME NOTES

The Vees streak of 12-straight Interior pennants started during the 2011-12 season. Penticton is 4-2-0-0 in six games against the Warriors. Friday was Keenan’s first career three-point game in the BCHL and marked the fourth time Keenan had two or more points in a game. Billy Renfrew extended his point streak to six games. He now has 12 points (5G, 7A) over his last six. Friday was the Vees’ final road game of the regular season, as they finished with a 17-6-3-2 record away from the SOEC.

GAME STATS

Shots: 33-30, Vees

Vees Scoring: Keenan (5), C. MacPherson (11), Renfrew (18), Pichette (17)

Vees Goaltending: Andrew Ness (W) 64:16 27/30

Power-Plays

Vees: 0/3

Warriors: 1/3

Three Stars:

1) Larry Keenan

2) Callum Hughes

3) Thomas Pichette

NEXT GAME: The Vees (37-7-3-2) face the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (28-19-1-0) at the SOEC on Saturday, March 16th; puck drop is 6:00 pm.