Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (23-9-2-2) were in Wenatchee for a pair of games against the Wild (25-11-2-1) last weekend, dropping both of them by scores of 6-3 and 3-1. Tonight the Vees welcome the Wild to the South Okangan Events Centre, looking for their first win against them this season.
Friday night, Taylor Ward played hero by scoring just seven seconds into double overtime to lift the Vees over the Prince George Spruce Kings 2-1.
Marcus Mitchell broke a scoreless tie in the third period with his first goal as a member of the Vees. Jackson Keane’s wrist shot from the right circle was stopped by DeBrouwer, but Mitchell was parked at the top of the crease and shovelled in the rebound for his ninth of the year.
Just a few minutes later, Ben Brar found a rebound of his own and scored his 17th of the year against his former team to tie the game with 5:29 left in the third period.
After four-on-four overtime solved nothing, the Vees ended the game right off the drop of the puck in three-on-three. Dakota Boutin won the faceoff, Massimo Rizzo swooped in to gather the puck and burst towards the Prince George zone down the left wing. Ward joined him on the right wing and Rizzo sent the pass across for Ward to wire into the top corner to win the game.
Wenatchee was also in game action last night, dropping a 3-0 game in Salmon Arm against the Silverbacks. It was the first time this year the Wild have been held off the scoresheet. Reid Cooper shut the door on the Wild, finishing with 30 saves in the victory.
The loss was the second straight for the Wild as they lost 2-1 in Trail Wednesday night. Despite outshooting Trail 41-19, a third period goal by Carter Jones was the difference for the Smoke Eaters.
Saturday is the fifth meeting of the year between Penticton and Wenatchee, with the Vees still looking for their first win. Prior to last weekend, the two teams played a home and home series in October with the Vees dropping a 4-2 game on the road before a 3-2 double-overtime loss at home.
Wild captain AJ Vanderbeck has lead the charge offensively for his club against the Vees this season; he has four of the 16 goals Wenatchee has scored against Penticton this season.
Team Statistics
Leading Scorers
Penticton Vees
Owen Sillinger – 19 G 18 A 35 GP
Nicky Leivermann – 7 G 21 A 35 GP
Taylor Ward – 10 G 15 A 29 GP
Wenatchee Wild
Jasper Weatherby – 26 G 25 A 39 GP
Lucas Sowder – 15 G 27 A 32 GP
AJ Vanderbeck – 21 G 18 A 30 GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power play – 21.0% (5th in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 87.7% (1st in BCHL)
Wenatchee Wild
Power play – 21.6% (3rd in BCHL)
Penalty kill – 85.7% (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 3 @ Wild 6 Boxscore
December 30, 2017 – Vees 1 @ Wild 3 Boxscore
January 6, 2018 – Vees vs Wild
February 24, 2018 – Vees vs Wild
