Photo: Chaisson Creative
PORT ALBERNI, B.C.- The Penticton Vees are back-to-back Fred Page Cup champions. The Vees beat the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 4-1 Wednesday, in Game Four of the BCHL Final at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. Penticton swept the best-of-seven championship series.
The Vees are the first repeat BCHL champions since 2011 and the first Penticton team to win back-to-back titles since the 1986 Penticton Knights.
Josh Nadeau scored the only goal in the first period. He scored his 16th of the playoffs three minutes into the opening frame.
The game was halted in the opening frame after a medical emergency involving Spencer Smith. The Vees’ 20-year-old forward went into medical distress after a high hit. Fortunately, Smith was able to skate off the ice with assistance. He went to the Port Alberni hospital for further evaluation where he was cleared and later released Wednesday evening.
When the game resumed, Brett Moravec doubled Penticton’s lead early in the second period. Moravec punched in a rebound in the crease at 1:38 for his ninth of the postseason that made it 2-0.
The Bulldogs’ Owen Desilets cut the Vees lead in half five minutes into the middle frame. His blast from the top of the circle found its way through traffic and past Luca Di Pasquo to cut Penticton’s lead to 2-1.
Mason Poolman restored the two-goal lead late in the second period. Poolman fired a dart from the right wing face-off circle that went off the underside of the crossbar and past The Bulldogs’ Callum Tung at 17:10. Poolman’s second of the series was a crucial insurance marker.
Dovar Tinling added an empty-net goal inside the final minute of the third period to seal the win for the Vees.
GAME NOTES
Bradly Nadeau was named the inaugural winner of the Jeff Tambellini Award as BCHL Playoff MVP. Nadeau had 17 goals and 35 points in 17 games. Josh Nadeau finished the BCHL Playoffs on a 14-game point streak. He also scored in each of his last five games. If you combine the regular season and playoffs, Penticton finished with the 2022-23 season with a record of 66-4-0-1.
GAME STATS
Final Score: 4-1, Vees
Shots: 42-27
Vees Scoring: J. Nadeau, Moravec, Poolman, Tinling
Vees PP: 0/2
Vees PK: 1/1
MEET THE BUS
The Vees are estimated to arrive back in Penticton today (May 18th) at 6:00 pm at the SOEC. Fans are welcomed to greet the team as they arrive back in town.
