PHOTO: Cherie Morgan/Cherie Morgan Photography
PENTICTON, B.C. – The Penticton Vees controlled the game most of the night and were helped by a 15-save shutout from Carter Serhyenko in a 3-0 victory over the West Kelowna Warriors on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
On just the second shot of the game, courtesy of a Vees power play, Penticton was first to hit the scoresheet and draw first blood at the 5:20 mark of the 1st period as Grayson Arnott pushed the home side ahead by a marker.
Luc Wilson sent a pass to the midpoint while up a man and found Arnott, who threw the puck at the net and got through bodies and past the glove hand of Warriors goaltender Johnny Derrick for his 3rd goal of the season and put Penticton ahead by a 1-0 margin.
The Vees added to their lead at the 7:41 mark of the opening period as Casey McDonald became the fifth Vees player to score 10 or more goals on the season to increase the Vees lead by a pair of goals.
Fin Williams drove wide down the right-wing side and centered a pass to the middle of the ice that went off a Warriors defenseman and came to McDonald at the top of the crease as he slapped the puck off of the left skate of Derrick and into the back of the net to increase the Vees advantage to 2-0.
Penticton outshot West Kelowna by a 15-3 count in the opening period but the three shots against Vees netminder Carter Serhyenko were tough ones to stop, including a big save with the left skate as he kicked out a shot that found its way through his legs on a partial chance for Chase Dafoe.
Penticton continued to pour on the pressure in the middle stanza, firing 16 shots on net in the middle of the game including back-to-back strong chances from Josh Nadeau, who was sent in alone on a pass from his younger brother Bradly but was denied by Derrick.
The Vees were quick to extend their lead even further in the final period, scoring just 8 seconds into the frame as Josh Nadeau buried on his chance to tally his 20th goal of the season. Bradly dropped a pass for Josh in the left face-off circle as he shot through the glove side of Derrick to add to his team lead in goals with 20 and put Penticton up by a 3-0 margin.
The Warriors tried to get on the scoresheet late in the 3rd period, including a breakaway for Nick Ardanaz but Serhyenko was there to shut the door and close the book on a 3-0 shutout victory.
Serhyenko turned aside all 15 shots thrown his way for his first win and shutout in the BC Hockey League while Johnny Derrick made 34 saves on 37 shots in his 6th loss of the season in the Warriors crease.
FINAL SCORE: 3-0 Vees
SHOTS ON GOAL: 37-15 Vees
VEES PP: 1/7
VEES PK: 2/2
3 STARS:
1) Josh Nadeau (1-0-1)
2) Grayson Arnott (1-0-1)
3) Carter Serhyenko (15-save shutout)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Stefano Bottini (0-0-0)
Attendance: 2,500
The Vees (21-4-0-1) will ring in 2022 with a New Year’s Day matchup against the West Kelowna Warriors (17-10-0-0) on Saturday night at Royal LePage Place. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the game being broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.
