Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (13-6-1-2) did it again. James Miller tied the game with 1:38 left on the clock before Ryan Sandelin potted the overtime winner to seal a 4-3 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters (8-10-4-2) Saturday night.
David Silye opened the scoring for Penticton 10:46 into the game by knocking the puck out of midair. On his backhand, Silye was able to knock a waist-high puck through the pads of Adam Marcoux for his eighth goal of the season.
The lead carried into the second, but didn’t last long as Trail tied the game just 22 seconds into the second. A power play that carried over into the period resulted in a wrist shot from Trevor Zins beating a screened Derek Krall.
Eric Linell restored the Vees lead 4:38 later. While on the power play, Miller slid the puck towards the front of the goal from the left wing and Linell tipped it through the legs of Marcoux for his 14th of the year.
Penticton’s lead again carried into the third period, but Trail would even things up. Owen Ozar had a shot go off him and over the arm of Krall on a scramble in front of the net six minutes into the period.
Minutes later, Penticton went back to the man advantage looking to restore their lead, but Trail were the ones taking advantage. After a long shift in the attacking zone, the Vees lost the puck at the Trail blue line which resulted in a 3-on-1 rush.
Spencer Maclean and Jeremy Smith played give-and-go and Maclean fired a shot past Krall’s blocker from the right side to give Trail the lead with 9:32 to play.
The goal could have deflated the Vees, but they pressed on and would eventually tie the game. Massimo Rizzo flew threw centre and gained the Trail line but lost his balance as he tried to get around the defender.
Cassidy Bowes found the loose puck, slid it up to the blue line where Miller had all day to lean into a slap shot, wiring it over the glove of Marcoux to tie the game with 1:38 to go.
In overtime, Trail was given a penalty shot after Smith was hooked on a breakaway by Miller. Smith tried the one-handed backhand move, but was denied by the right pad of Krall.
As play continued, the Smoke Eaters came into the Vees end and threw the puck towards the goal. It went off the stick of Miller and towards Krall, but the Vees goaltender made an unorthodox save by sticking out the right pad while sliding to his left.
Silye gathered the rebound before firing a long bank feed ahead down the right wing for a streaking Sandelin, who came in on a breakaway and beat Marcoux through the five hole to win the game.
The win was Penticton’s third in a row and completed the 3-for-3 week. Penticton now gets set for a home-and-home set with the West Kelowna Warriors Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Announced attendance for Saturday’s game was 3,149.
