DUNCAN, B.C. – The Penticton Vees got goals from Bradley Nadeau and Luc Wilson but surrendered a 1st period lead and fell to the Cowichan Valley Capitals by a 3-2 score on Saturday night at the Cowichan Community Centre.
Penticton struck first in what was a tightly contested game with Bradley Nadeau converting on a 5-on-3-man advantage to give the Vees a one-goal lead. The Vees worked on a two-man advantage along with a major power play for a full two-minute, five-on-three and it was Nadeau’s first power play goal of the year to give Penticton the first lead of the game.
Ryan Hopkins fed a pass from the right point to the left wing where Nadeau hammered a one-time shot through a maze of bodies and past the blocker side of Capitals netminder Ben Montgomery for his team-leading 9th goal of the season and the power play marker put the Vees ahead by a 1-0 margin at the 10:32 mark of the opening period.
Hometown kid Luc Wilson, playing against his former team, pushed the Vees ahead by a pair of goals at the 14:14 mark of the opening frame with his 8th goal of the season. A chip pass off the right-wing boards from Casey McDonald was received by Wilson who went from right to left in the neutral zone and got to the top of the left circle before letting a shot go past the glove side of Montgomery to give Penticton a 2-0 edge.
The tides turned with a breakaway goal from Brett Fudger, the Cowichan Valley captain, who got his team back in the game with a marker at the 17:18 point of the opening period. Owen Simpson spotted Fudger at the Vees blue line with a stretch pass from his own zone as Fudger faked to his backhand and slid the puck past Vees goaltender Colin Purcell to make it a one-goal game heading into the 2nd period.
Cowichan Valley scored the lone goal in a middle period that saw action at both ends as each of Montgomery and Purcell had to make some quality stops with Eli Pilosof finding the only goal in the frame to even the score heading into the 3rd period.
Nick Marciano raced down the left wing into the Vees zone and got to the face-off circle before sending a pass to the backdoor where Pilosof redirected the puck past the glove side of Purcell at the 15:22 mark of the 2nd period that pushed the Capitals back from a two-goal deficit to even the score heading into the final period.
Penticton made a strong penalty kill late in the period after being assessed a four-minute, double-minor penalty to keep the game tied before Fudger would earn his second goal of the game with just under two minutes remaining to break the deadlock and give the Capitals their first, and only, lead of the night.
From below the goal line, the Cowichan Valley captain moved to the top of the crease on the glove side of Purcell and shoveled the puck past him and the goal line at the 18:04 mark of the final period that vaulted the Capitals ahead by a 3-2 lead.
The Vees pulled Purcell but a late penalty with 48 seconds remaining derailed any chance of a late marker as the Vees dropped their second game of the season by a 3-2 score. Colin Purcell was terrific in the game, turning aside 35 of the 38 shots he faced in his 1st loss of the season while Ben Montgomery was strong in net as well, making 32 saves on 34 shots in his 2nd win of the season.
FINAL SCORE: 3-2 Capitals
SHOTS ON GOAL: 38-34 Capitals
VEES PP: 1/4
VEES PK: 4/4
3 STARS:
1) Brett Fudger (2-0-2)
2) Ben Montgomery (32 saves on 34 shots)
3) Luc Wilson (1-0-1)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Eli Pilosof (1-0-1)
Attendance: 824
The Vees (8-2-0-0) will return home and begin a four-game home stand as they host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (7-3-1-0) on Wednesday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Puck drop is set for 6:30 PM with tickets are available for purchase online at valleyfirsttix.com as well as at the SOEC Box Office. The game will also be broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as streamed on BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:10 PM.
The Vees will be honouring those who served with their Veterans Night ahead of Remembrance Day on Wednesday night. Tickets for veterans are free of charge while poppies will be available by donation at the concourse with the Penticton Legion and Cadets on hand to take part in the night as well. Puck drop is set for 6:30 PM.
