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Game Recap: Vees cruise to 6-1 win over Brooks

Photo: Cherie Morgan

The Penticton Vees ran their win streak to six games after posting a 6-1 win over the Brooks Bandits, Saturday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC).

The Vees (30-6-0-2) strung together back-to-back 6-1 wins this weekend at home, after beating the Cowichan Valley Capitals by the same score on Friday night. Penticton also extended their point streak to 17 games (15-0-2-0), as they sit atop of the Interior Conference and the B.C. Hockey League’s (BCHL) overall standings.

In Saturday’s win, the second period was the difference, as the Vees scored four times on 17 shots, as they led 5-1 after 40 minutes. Penticton went on to score five unanswered goals from the start of the second period into the third, after Brooks tied the game early in the middle frame.

The line of Eli McKamey, Max Heise, and Caton Ryan had another big night, as the three combine for five points. McKamey and Ryan each had a goal and an assist. Heise scored his fourth goal in his last two games.

Newcomer Tristan Petersen scored his first BCHL goal in just his second game, and Luke Posthumus and Ryden Evers also found the back of the net.

Goaltender Ethan Buenaventura picked up his second win in just over a week against Brooks. Saturday, the 20-year-old stopped 21 of 22 shots as he improved his record to 9-0-1-0. Buenaventura has stopped 44 of 46 shots in two wins against the Bandits.

Penticton’s special teams had a strong showing, as they went two-for-four, and they killed off five of six Bandits’ power plays.

16-year-old Eli McKamey scored in his third straight game, as he broke the ice late in the first period. McKamey put the Vees ahead 1-0 on the power play at 18:19.

Brooks tied the game early in the second on a power play goal from their top scorer Nathan Free at 3:33.

Penticton responded with a goal from Heise, who put the Vees back ahead at 6:51. Heise’s 20th and fourth in his last two games. He smoked a one-timer over the goalie’s shoulder from the face-off circle.

The game’s turning point came when Petersen scored to make it 3-1 at 8:44. The Danish forward came out from behind the net and spun and fired the puck past Bandits’ goalie Zach Zahara. Moments prior to Petersen scoring, Zahara had pushed the net off its pegs with his arm, as it sat ajar, as Petersen scored. The referee initially signaled a goal and video review upheld the call.

Posthumus extended the lead to 4-1 win his power play goal at 13:39. Evers dished the puck to the streaking Posthumus who fired a dart over Zahara’s glove. His team-leading 22nd goal.

The second period barrage was capped off with Evers tipping in Oscar Pantzare’s pass with just 46 seconds left in the period. Pantzare fired his shot right at Evers’ stick in front for the nifty redirect.

Ryan finished off the scoring in the third period, as he picked up his second point of the night and fifth goal of the season at 7:06. Simon Meier, with one of his three assists on the night, dished the puck across to Ryan who outwaited the Bandits goaltender.

GAME NOTES

Eli McKamey now has four goals and seven points in his last three games. Luke Posthumus extended his point streak to nine games. He has 14 points (9G, 5A) in his last nine. Caton Ryan has seven points (1G, 6A) in his last three games. Oscar Pantzare recorded five assists in two games on the weekend. The Vees split their four-game season series with the Bandits, winning the last two head-to-head match ups.

GAME STATS 

Shots: Vees- 38 Bandits- 22

Scoring: Eli McKamey (9th), Max Heise (20th), Tristan Petersen (1st), Luke Posthumus (22nd), Caton Ryan (5th)

Goaltending: Ethan Buenaventura (W), 60:00, 21/22

Vees Power Play: 2/4

Vees Penalty Kill: 5/6

Three Stars:

1) Eli McKamey (1G, 1A)

2) Simon Meier (0G, 3A)

3) Ryde Evers (1G, 1A)

Attendance: 3,219

Up Next: Friday, February 7, vs. Vernon Vipers, 7:00 pm.