Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (5-3-0) stayed level headed en route to a 3-0 win over the Vernon Vipers (3-4-2) Friday night, now they look for the weekend sweep as the two teams clash at Kal Tire Place at 6:00.
Jack Barnes gave Penticton a 1-0 lead late in the first period Friday night, converting on a quick centring feed from Eric Linell and beating Max Palaga through the five hole from the right circle. The shots read 14-1 Penticton after 20 minutes.
The Vees started the second period with 44 seconds of 5-on-3 power play, but it took just 12 seconds to convert as Ryan Sandelin took a drop feed from David Silye and fired a dragging wrist shot past Palaga to give the Vees a 2-0 lead.
The animosity between the two teams continued to rise as the game went on and boiled over in the third. Landon Fuller threw a heavy hit on Drew Elser behind the Vees net, receiving a charging penalty. Elser left the game under his own power but wouldn’t return.
Later in the period, Fuller was the centre of attention again as he and Jack Barnes collided by the Vipers bench, sending Barnes flying after he was face first into the stanchion at full speed. Barnes was helped off the ice and also didn’t return.
With just under five minutes to play, James Miller ended any hopes of a Vernon comeback by wiring a slapshot past a screened Palaga on the power play for his second of the year. Jack Lagerstrom and Silye received assists on the goal.
Jack LaFontaine finished with 13 saves, recording his second consecutive shutout for the victory.
The two teams now head to Vernon for the second of six meetings this season.
Team Statistics
Leading Scorers
Penticton Vees
David Silye – 5G 10A 8GP
Eric Linell – 5G 7A 10GP
Ryan Sandelin – 5G 3A 8GP
Vernon Vipers
Jack Judson – 3G 3A 9GP
Josh Latta – 3G 3A 9GP
Elan Bar-Lev-Wise – 0G 5A 9GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power play – 17.5 per cent (7th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 86.2 per cent (5th in BCHL)
Vernon Vipers
Power play – 14.7 per cent (13th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 77.4 per cent (13th in BCHL)
Season Series
October 5, 2018 – Vees 3 vs Vipers 0 Boxscore
October 6, 2018 – Vees @ Vipers
November 7, 2018 – Vees @ Vipers
December 19, 2018 – Vees vs Vipers
February 8, 2019 – Vees vs Vipers
February 9, 2019 – Vees @ Vipers
