Photo: Tami Quan
WEST KELOWNA, B.C. – The Highway 97 rivalry never disappoints. The Penticton Vees beat their South Okanagan rivals the West Kelowna Warriors 2-1 in overtime, Friday at Royal LePage Place.
The showdown of the two top teams in the Interior lived up to the billing, as Francesco Dell’Elce scored the game-winner 70 seconds into overtime, as the Vees won their fifth in a row and extended their point streak to 12 (11-0-1-0).
“That game was a great showcase for our league. It was back and forth, fast, physical, and tight checking. Honestly, that may have been the most competitive game we had all season. It was great to get the two points out of a tough building. It was a complete team effort,” remarked Assistant Coach Matthew Vanden Berg post-game.
Ryan MacPherson scored the Vees other goal, his 15th of the season, that put Penticton up 1-0 just two minutes into the game.
Will Ingemann was clutch in net as he stopped 24 of 25 shots and was named the first star. Some of Ingemann’s best saves came in the final 21 minutes of the game.
The Warriors’ Jack Pridham forced overtime with his goal with just eight seconds left in regulation. Pridham’s goal came with the West Kelowna net empty for the extra skater.
Friday was the first time a road team has won in the season series. The home team had held serve in the previous four meetings. The Vees were winless in their previous two trips to Royal LePage Place.
MacPherson opened the scoring at 2:11 of the opening frame after a puck handling miscue by the Warriors’ Rorke Applebee. Connor MacPherson took the puck away from the Warriors’ goalie at the side of the net and fed his brother out front for the icebreaker.
It stayed 1-0 for the Vees all the way to inside the final 10 seconds of the third. With their goalie pulled, the Warriors tied on the 6-on-5 situation. As Pridham labeled his one-timer for the corner over Ingemann’s glove.
In overtime, Dell’Elce was the first to a loose puck in the Warriors’ crease. The Vees’ defenceman had his initial shot stopped, but the rebound popped back out front into the blue paint, where he jabbed it across the goal line at 1:10.
GAME NOTES
The Vees picked up their BCHL-best 16th road win of the season and have not lost a road game in regulation since January 5th (8-0-1-0). Billy Renfrew extended his point streak to three games (4-2-6). James Fisher had his nine-game scoring streak end Friday. He had six goals and 14 points in those nine games.
GAME STATS
Shots: 27-25, Vees
Vees Scoring: R. MacPherson (15), Dell’Elce (8)
Vees Goaltending: Will Ingemann (W) 61:10 24/25
Power-Plays
Vees: 0/1
Warriors 0/1
Three Stars:
1) Will Ingemann
2) Rorke Applebee
3) Francesco Dell’Elce
NEXT GAME: The Vees (35-7-3-2) host the Merritt Centennials (19-23-4-1) on Saturday, March 9th; puck drop is 6:00 pm.
