Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (25-9-2-3) had their winning streak snapped, but stayed unbeaten in 2018 with a 2-2 draw against the Trail Smoke Eaters Friday night. Now the Vees get set for the final rematch of the 2017 Fred Page Cup final against the Chilliwack Chiefs (19-16-2-2).
Trail led for most of the game Friday night, holding a 1-0 lead into the third period. Dakota Boutin had a wraparound from Kenny Johnson go off his skate and into the net to tie the game seven minutes into the final frame.
Just a few minutes later Carter Jones restored the Smoke Eater lead with Trail’s second power-play goal of the night.
Michael Campoli then tied the game with his first career BCHL goal on a wrist shot from the blue line that eluded a screened Adam Marcoux with under five minutes to play.
While overtime solved nothing, it did provide a candidate for save of the year as Adam Scheel robbed Blaine Caton of a wide open net, swiping his blocker hand out while lying on his side during a goal mouth scramble.
The Chiefs were also at home Friday night, hosting the Coquitlam express in a game that also ended in a 2-2 draw. PJ Marrocco and Ryan Bowen gave the Chiefs a 2-0 lead after the first period, but Coquitlam tallied once in the second and third to even things up through regulation.
Chilliwack, the Royal Bank Cup hosts, are trying to gain ground in the Mainland Division as they find themselves in fourth place. Much like the Interior Division, the top four teams in the Mainland are separated by just a handful of points. Langley and Prince George are tied for first with 50, while Chilliwack is fourth with 43.
With their single point on Friday the Vees remain in sole possession of second place in the Interior Division with 55 points, four behind the Vernon Vipers.
Penticton has played the Chiefs at Prospera Centre once already this season; September 23 at the BCHL Showcase with the Vees doubling up Chilliwack 6-3. The Vees got goals from six different players that night and 25 saves from Nolan Hildebrand.
Two months later the Vees hosted Chilliwack at the SOEC and Scheel had to make just 13 saves to record the shutout, though the Chiefs were without their top three scorers that night due to injury.
Team Statistics
Leading scorers
Penticton Vees
Owen Sillinger – 20 G 18 A 37 GP
Nicky Leivermann – 7 G 22 A 36 GP
Dakota Boutin – 14 G 14 A 39 GP
Chilliwack Chiefs
Will Calverly – 13 G 21 A 37 GP
Tommy Lee – 13 G 17 A 37 GP
Corey Andonovski – 11 G 14 A 37 GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power play – 20.0% (6th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 86.8% (1st in BCHL)
Chilliwack Chiefs
Power play – 16.2% (13th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 85.8% (2nd in BCHL)
Season series
September 23, 2017 – Vees 6 vs Chiefs 3 (Showcase) Boxscore
November 25, 2017 – Vees 2 vs Chiefs 0 Boxscore
January 13, 2018 – Vees @ Chiefs
