FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, March 23rd
VEES ADVANCE TO INTERIOR FINAL
CHILLIWACK, BC- The Penticton Vees broke out for three goals in the second period and Chad Katunar recorded his first career playoff shutout, as the Vees blanked the Chilliwack Chiefs 4-0 Friday.
The Vees win the best-of-seven series 4-2 and host the Merritt Centennials in the Interior Conference Final starting Tuesday.
After a scoreless first period, the Vees for the second straight game opened the scoring. Bryce Gervais scored his third of the playoffs, and first goal since game one, when he jammed a loose puck at the side of the net past a fallen Mitch Gillam just over five and a half minutes into the middle frame. Steven Fogarty threw the puck out front from behind the net, creating a rebound, which Gervais wedged past the pad of Gillam at 5:35.
The Vees grabbed a commanding three goal lead late in the period when they scored twice, including a power-play marker, just a minute and thirty four seconds apart.
On an almost identical play on the Vees opening goal, Wade Murphy stuffed in his own rebound at the post past an outstretched Gillam. Murphy’s original shot was gloved down by Gillam but came loose in the crease where he shoveled it in at 18:15.
The Vees drew a penalty thirty-three seconds after the goal and didn’t take long to go up by three. With David Thompson off for tripping, Mario Lucia scored his third of the post-season with just eleven seconds left in the period. Travis St. Denis rushed the puck end-to-end before being stopped on the glove side by Gillam; Lucia roofing the rebound at 19:49.
In the third period the Vees snuffed out any come-back attempt by the Chiefs, holding them at bay and sealing the game and series with an empty-net goal courtesy of Joey Benik at 18:43.
Chad Katunar was terrific making thirty-one saves for his first career playoff shutout and fourth playoff win. Katunar made keys saves early in the second period under heavy pressure by the Chiefs and timely stops throughout the third period.
FINAL SCORE: 4-0 Vees
Shots: 31-26 Chiefs
Power-Plays: Vees 1/4 Chiefs 0/5
Three Stars: 1. Chad Katunar 2. Mario Lucia 3. Mitch Gillam
Hardest Working Vee(s): Chad Katunar & Wade Murphy
Valley First Charitable Donation Grand Total: $4, 745
The Vees advance to the Interior Conference Final against the Merritt Centennials starting at the SOEC on Tuesday, March 27th; puck drop is 7pm.
The pre-game show on EZ Rock AM 800 starts twenty minutes prior to puck drop; you can also tune in on MyEZRock.com, and at BCHL.ca where both the audio stream and Pay-Per-View video are available.
CONTACT: FRASER RODGERS
Director of Broadcasting, Media Relations
Penticton Vees Hockey Club
FraserRodgers@gmail.com(250) 809-1390
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