Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (5-4-0) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Saturday and look to bounce back during their first three-game week of the season when they host the Merritt Centennials (7-5-0) Wednesday night.
Saturday, Kenny Johnson scored a shorthanded goal and Jack LaFontaine made 24 saves, but the Vees fell 2-1 to the Vernon Vipers on the road.
Penalties were a focal point for both teams in the game, as the Vees took eight minors and the Vipers took four plus a five-minute major for goalie interference. However it was the Vipers capitalizing as both of their goals came on the man advantage.
The Centennials had a three-game road trip last weekend going 2-1. Friday they downed the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 4-3 before dropping a 4-2 game to the Cowichan Valley Capitals the next night.
They wrapped up their trip with a 4-3 win over the Surrey Eagles, putting them in sole position of first place in the Interior Division with 14 points, though they have played 12 games where every other Interior Division team has played fewer. The Vees have played just nine.
The two teams met in Merritt September 28 and it was Penticton jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the opening period. The Vees would extend their lead to 5-0 before the Centennials pushed back, eventually cutting it down to 5-3.
Andre Ghantous, in his first game as a Vee, ended Merritt’s hopes of completing the comeback by scoring with just over a minute remaining. Brendan Harrogate, also making his Vees debut, led the attack with two goals and an assist in the win. Derek Krall stopped 36 shots for his first win of the season.
Dating back to the 2017 playoffs, the Vees have won the last eight meetings between these two teams.
This game marks the first of six Boston Pizza Wicked Wednesday’s at the South Okanagan Events Centre, featuring $5 general admission.
Team Statistics
Leading Scorers
Penticton Vees
David Silye – 5G 10A 9GP
Eric Linell – 5G 7A 11GP
Ryan Sandelin – 5G 3A 9GP
Merritt Centennials
Bradley Cocca – 4G 11A 12GP
Nick Granowicz – 7G 7A 12GP
Matthieu Gosselin – 8G 4A 12GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power play – 15.2 per cent (13th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 83.8 per cent (8th in BCHL)
Merritt Centennials
Power play – 14.9 per cent (15th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 72.7 per cent (17th in BCHL)
Season Series
September 28, 2018 – Vees 6 @ Centennials 3 Boxscore
October 10, 2018 – Vees vs Centennials
October 26, 2018 – Vees @ Centennials
November 2, 2018 – Vees vs Centennials
January 20, 2019 – Vees @ Centennials
February 15, 2019 – Vees vs Centennials
