FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WednesdayNovember 17th
VEES TORCHSMOKE EATERS FOR 6-3 WIN
PENTICTON, BC ?The Penticton Vees are thrilled to be back in the SOEC, and proved it with aresounding 6-3 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters on Wednesday night.
With the World Junior A Challenge hosted in Penticton,Wednesday night was the first home game for the club since an October 29thwin over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Mike Betz was one of six Vees to record a multi-point nightin the win that saw the Vees move four points back of first-place Trail, while stillholding three games-in-hand.
IN the first period Kyle Mountain kept his hot hand, openingthe scoring on a set up from Curtis Loik and Joey Holka. Mountain, who hailsfrom the Philadelphia area, now has four goals in his last four games afterscoring just twice in his first 21 games of the season.
With the Vees leading 1-0 after twenty minutes, LoganJohnston snapped a dozen game goal-less drought at the 6:08 mark of the secondperiod, to put the Vees ahead by a pair.
Later in the second period, the Vees went up 3-0 when MarkMacMillan provided the finish on a gorgeous passing play from Betz andO?Donnell. The goal saw the first point as a member of the Vees for Summerlandnative Mike Betz, who made his home debut on the top line with MacMillan, andO?Donnell.
Up 3-0 in the third the Vees saw a full two-minutefive-on-three man advantage awarded to the Smokies who reeled off back-to-back powerplay goals just 27 seconds apart to bring the game within one.
The Vees would respond when Betz grabbed a puck in the slot,spun, and rifled his first of the season with authority, extending the lead totwo goals over his former club.
Joey Benik and Joey LaLeggia would add power play markerslater in the third and Trail would see their third man-advantage goal from TravisSt. Denis, who popped in his nineteenth goal of the season in off a rebound.
On the night, Betz had a goal and an assist, ditto for JoeyLaLeggia, Mark MacMillan, and Joey Benik; while Brendan O?Donnell and JoeyHolka each compiled two assists. O?Donnell now has thirteen points in his lastsix games.
Prior to the game Joey LaLeggia was name the player of themonth for his twenty point October, bringing the 1,278 fans at the SOEC totheir feet.
Billy Faust didn?t allow a five-on-five goal on the nightwhile making 22 saves to earn his seventh win of the season. Kiefer Smiley wasdealt his eighth loss, allowing five goals on 35 shots.
The Vees finished with a pair of power play goals on fouropportunities, while Trail scored all three goals on seven power playopportunities.
Next action for the Vees will seethe club looking forrevenge on Friday when they return to the Shuswap for a second tilt this weekwith the Silverbacks. Salmon Arm beat Penticton 5-4 on Tuesday Night.
The Vees return for their fourth game of the week when thePrince George Spruce Kings visit the SOEC for a Sunday 2:00PM matinee.
Vees game tickets can be purchased at the box office duringbusiness hours, at London Drugs, or online at ValleyFirstTix.com.
