PHOTO: Tami Quan Photography
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The Penticton Vees came back from a 1st period deficit but could not find the game winning goal as they fell by a 4-3 score to the West Kelowna Warriors in a shootout at Royal LePage Place on Saturday night.
West Kelowna was first to hit the scoresheet on their first shot of the game, taking advantage of some time and space inside of the Vees defensive zone to get ahead by a one-goal margin. Brennan Nelson fed a pass to the slot as Tyson Jugnauth received the puck in the slot and outwaited Vees netminder Carter Serhyenko to the blocker side before pushing the puck to the net that was redirected by Tyler Cristall into the open goal at the 1:25 mark of the 1st period to push West Kelowna out to a 1-0 lead.
The Warriors added to their lead at the 9:42 mark of the opening period as Tyler Rubin put the home side up by pair of goals. The Warriors defender had a loose puck come to him at the top of the left face-off circle as he snapped a shot past a heavily screened Serhyenko to give the Warriors a two-goal lead.
The Vees had an answer before the period was out and were able to seize momentum of the latter stage of the frame as Ethan Mann got Penticton on the scoresheet. The University of Wisconsin commit took a pass from Josh Niedermayer in front of the net from the blue line, going from his backhand to his forehand and lifted a shot over the blocker side of the right handed catching Justin Katz in the Warriors net for his 7th goal of the season at the 16:18 mark of the 1st period to make it a 2-1 game.
In the 2nd period, the Vees were able to make their way back to tie the game as Brett Moravec showcased a terrific individual effort to get the game on even terms. Bradly Nadeau played a pass ahead for Moravec on the right wing as the Vees forward streaked down to the face-off circle before cutting to the net on his backhand and reaching past the glove hand of Katz to slide the puck into the net for his 14th goal of the season and levelled the game at 2-2.
Penticton earned their first lead of the game at the 13:48 mark of the 2nd period on a strong play by Stefano Bottini, who chipped the puck into the left-wing corner and chased to retrieve it. The Vees forward collected and centered to the front of the net and had the puck go off a Warriors defender and bounce to Thomas Pichette, who batted in the loose puck over the glove of Katz for his 6th marker of the season and gave the Vees a 3-2 edge.
The lead was held into the 3rd period before West Kelowna evened the score themselves courtesy of a power play and a redirection of a shot from Charles-Alexis Legault. The Warriors defender took the shot from the left face-off circle and had it deflected behind Serhyenko by Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero at the glove side at the 10:59 mark of the final regulation period to make it a 3-3 game.
The two teams traded chances in the final moments of the game, including a four-on-four sequence with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, but could not find the go-ahead goal and overtime was forced.
In the extra frame, the Vees outshot the Warriors by a 6-1 margin and beat Katz once, but not the post, as Jackson Nieuwendyk rang iron on a shot from the slot on the blocker side of Katz to keep the game going and eventually went to a shootout.
Chase Dafoe was the lone player to tally in the skills competition, beating Serhyenko on the glove side with a shot that just got over his outstretched glove. The Vees sent Josh Nadeau, Luc Wilson and Josh Niedermayer to try and solve Katz but were not able to and fell in the shootout.
Carter Serhyenko was solid in net for the Vees, turning aside 24 of the 27 shots thrown his way and two of the three shooters faced in the shootout in his first shootout loss of the season while Justin Katz made 32 saves on 35 shots and turned aside each of the three shooters he faced in the shootout in his 5th win of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 4-3 Warriors (SO)
SHOTS ON GOAL: 35-27 Vees
VEES PP: 0/4
VEES PK: 4/5
3 STARS:
1) Tyler Rubin (1-0-1)
2) Bradly Nadeau (0-1-1)
3) Brennan Nelson (0-2-2)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero (1-0-1)
Attendance: 750
The Vees (21-4-0-2) play the fifth and final installment of five consecutive matchups against the West Kelowna Warriors (18-10-0-0) on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tickets are available for purchase on Season Ticket Member Appreciation Night online at valleyfirsttix.com as well at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC. 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.
