WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The Penticton Vees used a pair of goals from both Luc Wilson and Beanie Richter to help them to a 5-2 victory over the West Kelowna Warriors in Game #3 of the Interior Conference Final and lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.
Penticton came out of the gates flying in Game #3 and had that translate to an early lead coming just 55 seconds into the opening period of play as for the second consecutive game, Josh Nadeau opened the scoring for the Vees and gave the visitors an early 1-0 advantage.
After a West Kelowna turnover inside of their defensive zone, Braden Doyle set up the play from the slot as he passed to his right where Adam Eisele collected the puck and fed a pass to the back door as Josh tapped home his 9th goal of the playoffs past the glove side of Warriors goaltender Justin Katz to give the Vees a 1-0 lead just 55 seconds into the opening period of play.
The Vees and Warriors each had chances as the period went along with Penticton firing 17 shots on goal in the opening frame and, just as it did in Game #2, the power play connected to give the Vees a 2-0 lead beyond the midway mark of the opening 20 minutes of action.
Bradly Nadeau wrapped a puck around the boards as it kicked out of the right-wing corner where Luc Wilson anticipated the bounce and sent a shot to the net that was stopped by the right pad of Katz before Wilson buried his own rebound for his 5th marker of the postseason and a 2-0 lead at the 14:38 mark of the 1st period of play.
Penticton was able to get ahead by a three-goal margin at the tail end of the opening period as Beanie Richter earned his 1st career BC Hockey League playoff goal. Frank Djurasevic cleared a puck into the Warriors zone and Thomas Pichette collected the loose puck at the left half boards as he played a pass to the slot where Richter wristed a shot past the blocker side of Katz to give Penticton a 3-0 lead at the 18:07 mark of the opening period and give the Vees a three-goal edge heading into the middle period.
Johnny Derrick took over for Katz in the middle stanza as the Vees continued to press with chances, pushing 15 shots on goals in the 2nd period and getting rewarded with a four-goal lead with just 1:18 remaining in the frame and it came from a familiar source in Richter, who potted his second of the contest.
Brett Moravec got the puck behind the net and went to his forehand before centering a pass to the front of the net where Richter slapped the puck past the blocker side of Derrick for his second goal of the playoffs and his second of the night helped Penticton to a 4-0 lead entering the 3rd period.
The Warriors brought the shutout bid and streak of 137:14 of scoreless hockey from Vees goaltender Kaeden Lane as John Evans tallied his second goal of the series. Evans took a Marcus Joughin pass in the right face-off circle and sent a wrist shot on goal that inched past the blocker side of Lane at the 13:46 mark of the final period to make the game 4-1 in favour of the Vees.
The power play struck for the second time in the game and it was once again Luc Wilson who contributed with his 6th goal of the playoffs and second of the night at the 16:48 mark of the 3rd period. Wilson got the puck on the right wing and cut from the circle to the slot before lacing a shot under the glove of Derrick to give the Vees their four-goal lead back at 5-1.
Joughin got a goal of his own with 1:36 remaining in the game as he deflected a shot from the right half boards off the stick of Isaiah Norlin to get the game to 5-2, the eventual final score in favour of the Vees.
Kaeden Lane turned aside 19 of the 21 shots thrown his way in his 11th win of the playoffs while Justin Katz started in goal for the Warriors, turning away 14 of the 17 shots he faced in his 1st loss of the playoffs before being relieved by Johnny Derrick, who made 19 saves on 21 shots in two periods of action.
FINAL SCORE: 5-2 Vees
SHOTS ON GOAL: 38-21 Vees
VEES PP: 2/8
VEES PK: 4/4
3 STARS:
1) Beanie Richter (2-0-2)
2) Thomas Pichette (0-2-2)
3) Luc Wilson (2-0-2)
Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Marcus Joughin (1-1-2)
Attendance: 1,136
The Vees have a chance to punch their ticket to the Fred Page Cup Final on Wednesday night with Game #4 of the Interior Conference Final series continues in West Kelowna. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the game being broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as streamed online on BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.
