Photo Cherie Morgan
PENTICTON B.C. – The Penticton Vees perfect playoff record remains intact after their 3-1 win over the Vernon Vipers Saturday, in Game Two of their second round series at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Penticton now leads the best-of-seven series 2-0, with Game Three in Vernon on Tuesday.
James Fisher and Simon Meier scored less than two minutes apart in the third period to break a 1-1 tie. Zack Stringer scored the Vees other goal in the first period.
Andrew Ness improved to 3-0 in the BCHL Playoffs after his 20-save performance.
“It was a very impressive 60-minute effort from our group. There really wasn’t any lapses in our game tonight. We played very well defensively, as we didn’t give them much and [we] kept them to the outside for the most part,” said Director of Hockey Operations Matt Miller post-game.
Despite a strong start that saw the Vees outshoot Vernon 18-8, it was the visitors who appeared to open the scoring just after the seven-minute mark of the first. Luke Bibby thought he’d fired the opening salvo for the Vipers, but after video review in the building the call was overturned, as the referees determined he had redirected the puck with a high stick.
Vernon did eventually open the scoring, as George Stavrianeas notched his first of the postseason at 11:50. Stavrianeas’ pass out front from behind the net bounced off a Vees’ skate and snuck through the pads of goaltender Andrew Ness.
It wouldn’t take long for the Vees to respond though, as Stringer would score his second of the BCHL Playoffs just 1:18 later to even the score. Stringer, one of the Vees most veteran players, darted his way down the left wing, taking a contested shot on Vipers’ goaltender Ethan David. While making the initial save, David could not control the rebound which sat loose for Stringer to collect and deposit into the net to level the score at one.
It was a scoreless second period, as Penticton outshot the Vipers 12-6 in the middle frame Penticton controlled the majority of possession in the period but found themselves locked in a 1-1 tie after 40 minutes.
Francesco Dell’Elce sets up James Fisher and he makes no mistake to give the Vees the lead! 🚨
🎙️ @Fraser_Vees #BCHLPlayoffs | @PentictonVees pic.twitter.com/qQRDIYrore
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) April 21, 2024
The Vees broke through early in the third, scoring a pair of goals in under two minutes to give themselves some breathing room. James Fisher would score the eventual game winner off a feed from Francesco Dell ‘Ellce, ripping a one timer from the left circle past Ethan David to give Penticton their first lead of the series.
Simon Meier would add an insurance marker 1:43 later, scoring his third of the playoffs on a controversial play that ended up behind Ethan David. Play paused for a brief moment after the puck fluttered up at the top of the glass and looked to have gone out of play, but no whistle blew, and Penticton was able to pick up a loose puck. Meier eventually jammed in a rebound at the side of the net, scoring the insurance marker to seal a 3-1 victory.
GAME STATS
Shots: 44-21, Vees
Vees Scoring:
Vees Goaltending: Andrew Ness (W) 60:00 20/21
Power-Plays
Vees: 0/1
Vipers: 0/0
Three Stars
1) James Fisher
2) Zack Stringer
3) Francesco Dell’Elce
Next Game: The Vees look for a 3-0 series in Game Three on Tuesday, April 23rd, at Kal Tire Place in Vernon; puck drop is tentatively scheduled for 8:15 pm.
