Photo: Lisa Mazurek
VERNON B.C. – The Penticton Vees will have to wait at least one more game to try and advance to round three, after their 3-2 overtime loss to Vernon in Game Four of their Interior Conference Semi-Finals series, Wednesday at Kal Tire Place in Vernon.
The Vees now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, with Game Five slated for Friday, April 26th, at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC).
Vipers’ Captain Connor Elliott was the overtime hero for Vernon, as he scored five minutes into the extra frame to cap off the comeback win. Vernon trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes and 2-1 heading into the third, before their late game heroics.
Penticton got goals from Connor MacPherson and Matthew Biotti in regulation, as they suffered their first loss in the postseason, as their seven-game win streak came to an end in the OT loss Wednesday.
Goaltender Andrew Ness suffered his first loss of the playoffs, as he stopped 18 of 21 shots in the Vees’ crease.
“You’re going to through adversity in the playoffs and we got it tonight. This was our first loss of the postseason. There’s no panic in the room. If we play the way that got us to this point, we will be in great shape come Friday night,” commented Vees’ Assistant Coach Matthew Vanden Berg.
The Vees got out to a fast start, as they opened the scoring just 4:29 in after Connor MacPherson netted his third of the playoffs. MacPherson was grabbed his own rebound in the Vernon zone and scored his third of the playoffs that put the Vees up 1-0.
Biotti doubled Penticton’s lead with just over a minute left in the first period. The rookie defenceman’s point shot found its way through from up top, as the Vees led 2-0 with 1:09 left in the first. His goal coming moments after Ness made an excellent save off of Vernon’s Ewan MacPherson.
Before Biotti made it 2-0, Connor MacPherson had a great chance to score his second of the game after he was awarded a penalty shot. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the Vipers’ Ethan David.
The Vees outshot the Vipers 11-3 in the first 20 minutes.
The Vipers finally broke through late in the second, as Isaac Tremblay scored to cut the Vees’ lead in half. Tremblay was able to finish off a three-way passing play to make it 2-1 at 14:28. That goal ended the Vipers goalless streak at 102:38. His goal was Vernon’s first since the first period of Game Two.
Vernon pressed in the back half of the third, as they showed some desperation with their season on the line. Erik Pastro batted in his first of the playoffs on a cross-ice pass from Adam Csabi at 14:22 to level the game, 2-2.
The Vees had a great opportunity to retake the lead in the final two minutes of the game, after Vernon’s Connor Elliott was handed a roughing penalty with 2:10 left. However, Penticton couldn’t manufacture a go-ahead goal in the final minutes of regulation, which set up the overtime period.
Vernon’s Connor Elliott ended the game just past the five-minute mark of overtime. His point shot found its way through a crowd and over the shoulder of Ness.
GAME STATS
Shots: 30-21, Vees
Vees Scoring: Connor MacPherson (3rd) Matthew Biotti (1st)
Vees Goaltending: Andrew Ness (L) 65:12 18/21
Power-Plays
Vees: 0/4
Vipers: 0/4
Three Stars:
1) Connor Elliott (VER)
2) Isaac Tremblay (VER)
3) Andrew Ness
NEXT GAME: The Vees look closeout their series with Vernon in Game Five on Friday, April 26th, at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available right now at www.valleyfirsttix.com
