Captain Nicolas Jones scored another pair of goals at home and 12 Penticton Vees hit the scoresheet, in their 6-0 rout over the visiting Alberni Valley Bulldogs Saturday at the SOEC.
Jones (2), Matt Gosiewski, Taylor Sanheim, Joe Leahy and Mitch Meek found the back of the net, and Grant Cruikshank chipped in with three assists. Mat Robson, after being pulled last night, picked up his third shutout of the season, making 24-saves for his 26th win of the season.
Penticton scored two goals in each of the three periods, including Jones and Gosiewski scoring just over four-minutes apart early in the first. Gosiewski will go down as a footnote in BCHL history, as his opening goal was the first video reviewed goal in league history. Gosiewski fired a shot upstairs from the side of the net that quickly went in and out, after a missed shot from the point rattled back off the end boards. After a short video review by the off-ice officials, it was determined the puck indeed hit the back corner of the net at 6:23.
Jones doubled the Vees lead just past the midway mark of the first when he converted on a rebound out front. Cruikshank’s shot from the corner was kicked-out by Carson Schamerhorn but it went right to Jones, who buried the rebound at 10:48; his 16th and second against the Bulldogs this season.
The power-play padded the lead in the second, when Taylor Sanheim drilled a one-timer from the off-wing at 14:34 to make it 3-0. Then on the very next shift, Joe Leahy rushed into the zone and from the left-wing, fired a slap-shot that flew by Schamerhorn on the short-side at 15:14; the Vees scoring twice in just 40-seconds.
Schamerhorn was replaced by Brody Claeys who played out the final minutes of the second, but it was Schamerhorn who came back out to start the third period.
Penticton added two more goals in the final three and a half minutes of the third frame to put the game well out of reach.
On another power-play, Mitch Meek fired a shot from the middle of the blue-line that knuckled its way over the goalie’s glove at 16:30; the off-speed point-shot found its way through heavy traffic.
The Captain finished off the scoring just 69-seconds after Meek’s goal, as Jones scored on a breakaway. After forcing a turnover at the Vees’ blue-line, Jones took a pass from Duncan Campbell up the middle, fought off a defender, then stuffed the puck through the goalie’s pads at 17:39.
Final Score: 6-0 Vees
Shots: 42-24
Power-Plays: Vees 2-4 Alberni Valley 0-2
Three Stars: 1) Taylor Sanheim 2) Nicholas Jones 3) Mat Robson
Attendance: 3,039
Vees Notes: Saturday was the Vees largest margin of victory this season; the first time they scored six goals since November 18th against the Coquitlam Express (7-2). It was their first shutout win since October 26th versus Surrey. They also improve their record to 4-2-0-0 against the Island Division.
The Vees (31-9-0-1) are off for the next week, before returning to action at home on Saturday, January 21st, versus the West Kelowna Warriors; puck drop is 6 pm. Tickets are available at the SOEC box office, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com. Local students and children (18 and under) are FREE, courtesy of Peter Bros. Construction.
