Photo: Chad Goddard
Okotoks, AB – The Penticton Vees are off to round two of the Rogers BCHL Playoffs, after their 4-2 win over the Okotoks Oilers, in Game Four at Viking Rentals Centre.
The Vees swept the Oilers in four-straight games, as they now wait to see who they face in their Interior Conference Semi-Final series.
The line of Caton Ryan, Max Heise, and Anselmo Rego combined for six points in the win. Ryan and Rego each had a goal and an assist. Heise had a pair of assists.
Luke Posthumus and Conyr Hellyer also scored for Penticton. Hellyer, the Okotoks native and former Oiler, scored an empty-net goal to clinch the series win.
Ethan Buenaventura improved his record to 2-0 in the playoffs after his 15-save performance. In the series, the 20-year-old stopped 29 of 31 shots in the series.
Ryan opened the scoring seven minutes into the first period. Heise centered for Ryan who ripped the one-timer from the slot over the goalie’s glove for his second of the playoffs.
Okotoks tied the game five minutes into the second period, as Brock Souch scored on a breakaway at 5:17.
It didn’t stay tied for long, as Rego put the Vees back up 2-1 at 7:47, with his first goal of the series. The Vees had a three-on-one rush, and it was Ryan setting up Rego with the cross-ice feed.
Posthumus then stretched the lead to 3-1 when he scored at 16:28. Posthumus picked up the loose puck in the slot, pulled the puck around the defenceman, then ripped it off the post and in. His fourth goal in the last three games.
In the third, the Oilers, down two goals and facing elimination, made a push late with the goalie pulled. Coy Pighin cut the Vees’ lead to 3-2 when he scored with two minutes left in regulation, as the Oilers converted on the six-on-five.
Hellyer stomped out any comeback attempt with his empty net goal with 30 seconds left, scoring from inside his blue line after winning a puck battle in front of his net.
GAME STATS
Shots: Vees- 32 Oilers-17
Scoring: Caton Ryan, Anselmo Rego, Luke Posthumus, Conyr Hellyer
Goaltending: Ethan Buenaventura (W)- 60:00, 15/17
Vees Power Play: 0/1
Vees Penalty Kill: 1/1
Three Stars:
1) Conyr Hellyer (1G)
2) Anselmo Rego (1G, 1A)
3) Jackson Rowland (1G)
Next Game: Friday, April 18th, Round Two, Game One vs. TBD
