Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (22-7-2-2) went into the Christmas break dropping three games in a row after their last game, 4-2 at home against the Nanaimo Clippers. After 10 days at home with friends and family, the team returns to action with a big two-game set in Wenatchee, Washington against the Wild (23-9-2-1).
December 16 the Vees hosted the Clippers for teddy bear toss night and Taylor Ward triggered an avalanche of stuffed animals just 4:14 into the game, roofing a backhand past Taz Burman on a partial breakaway for his ninth of the season.
Leading 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Vees lead quickly evaporated as Brady Lynn converted on a power play just over a minute into the second period. It would be the first of three power-play goals for the Clippers on the night, as they finished 3-for-4 on the man advantage.
Trailing by two in the final minutes of the game, Dakota Boutin batted a puck out of mid air for a power-play goal with 3:37 to go, but Parker Colley hit the empty net to seal the 4-2 Clippers win.
The loss put the Vees in third place in the Interior Division, one behind the Wild and seven behind Vernon. Penticton has two games in hand on Wenatchee and four on Vernon.
The Vees and Wild have matched up twice already this season with Wenatchee skating away with four points. October 21 Penticton held a 2-1 lead after one, but the Wild scored three unanswered-goals en route to the 4-2 win at home.
Four days later Jasper Weatherby scored on a wraparound one minute into double overtime, sweeping the home-and-home series with the 3-2 win.
While the Vees limped into the Christmas break, Wenatchee had won four of their final five games before the layoff, racking up 31 goals over that span. They capped off the first portion of the season with a 10-2 drubbing of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks December 16. Weatherby had two goals and two assists to lead the way.
While the injuries have piled up for the Vees this season, the return of Jonny Tychonick on the blue line will be welcomed as he returns after capturing a gold medal for Team Canada West at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Truro, Nova Scotia. Tychonick has already matched his point total from his rookie year with 23, but doing so in 23 fewer games.
Following the two games in Wenatchee the Vees will return to the South Okanagan Events Centre January 5 to host the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Team Statistics
Leading scorers
Penticton Vees
Owen Sillinger – 15 G 18 A 33 GP
Nicky Leivermann – 7 G 20 A 32 GP
Dakota Boutin – 13 G 10 A 33 GP
Wenatchee Wild
Jasper Weatherby – 25 G 23 A 35 GP
Lucas Sowder – 15 G 24 A 28 GP
Cooper Zech – 7 G 30 A 35 GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power play – 22.5% (4th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 87.6% (1st in BCHL)
Wenatchee Wild
Power play – 22.6% (3rd in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 85.1% (3rd in BCHL)
Season Series
October 21, 2017 – Vees 2 @ Wild 4 Boxscore
October 25, 2017 – Vees 2 vs Wild 3 OT2 Boxscore
December 29, 2017 – Vees @ Wild
December 30, 2017 – Vees @ Wild
January 6, 2018 – Vees vs Wild
February 24, 2018 – Vees vs Wild
