Photo: Cherie Morgan
The Penticton Vees have won three in a row, after their convincing 5-1 victory over the Cranbrook Bucks, Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The win, coupled with the West Kelowna Warriors’ overtime loss at home Saturday, extends the Vees lead to five points atop the Interior Division.
Billy Renfrew and Connor MacPherson each had a pair of goals in Saturday’s win. James Fisher also found the back of the net for Penticton. Renfrew finished with three points. 11 Vees had at least a point in the win.
Will Ingemann picked up his 15th win on the season, as he turned aside 17 of 18 shots in the Penticton net. The only shot that beat Ingemann on Saturday came off his own teammate’s skate.
The Bucks’ lone goal was the game’s first goal, as they went ahead on a whacky deflection. On the power play, Bucks’ defenceman Joseph Blackley had his pass go off a Vees skate and change direction, as it ended up going over the shoulder of Ingemann at 5:09.
That bad bounce didn’t faze the Vees, as MacPherson tied the game just 75 seconds after the Bucks’ went ahead. MacPherson was set up by Renfrew on a give-and-go down low, as he scored from the face-off circle at 6:24.
In the second, MacPherson picked up where he left off in the first, as he his second of the game came just 17 seconds into the middle frame. Brock Reinhart’s initial shot off the rush was stopped, but the rebound kicked out to MacPherson, who buried it into the open net. His third goal in the last five periods put the Vees up 2-1.
Both of Renfrew’s goals came on the power play and his first on the night put the Vees ahead 3-1 near the nine-minute mark of the second. Renfrew scored from the slot, after being fed by Cade Littler off the rush.
Early in the third, Fisher extended the lead to 4-1 after a great play by Zack Stringer. Right off the face-off, Stringer won the draw, carved his way to the net, then dished the puck back to Fisher in the crease for the tap in. Fisher’s goal came just three minutes into the final frame.
Renfrew capped off the scoring with his second power play goal on the night midway through the third. The 20-year-old parked himself in front of the Cranbrook net and managed to reach out and redirect Francesco Dell’Elce’s point shot at 10:21.
GAME STATS
Cranbrook 1 at Penticton 5
Shots: 36-18, Vees
Vees Scoring: MacPherson (2), Renfrew (2), Fisher
Vees Goaltending:
Will Ingemann (W) 60:00 17/18
Power-Plays
Vees: 2/6
Bucks: 1/3
Three Stars:
1) Billy Renfrew
2) Connor MacPherson
3) Simon Meier
Attendance: 2,903
NEXT GAME: The Vees (24-6-2-2) are off next week, as Penticton plays host to the BCHL All-Star Weekend January 19-20, at the SOEC and the downtown community rink. The BCHL Top Prospects Game goes Friday, January 19th, at the SOEC. The All-Star tournament is set for Saturday, January 20th, at the outdoor community rink.
