Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (40-12-2-3) clinched the number one seed in the British Columbia Hockey League standings with a 5-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild (37-15-4-1) Saturday night. It was also the seventh straight Interior Division title for the franchise.
Luke Reid opened the scoring for Penticton 5:40 into the game when his long wrist shot from the right point eluded Seth Eisele for Reid’s second goal of the year. Both of his goals have come against Wenatchee.
The Wild answered back with just over two minutes to play in the first on a controversial play. Adam Scheel made the save on a shot from the slot off the rush before bodies piled into the Penticton crease.
Murphy Stratton was able to sweep the puck past the goal line with three players on top of Scheel, but the goal stood and the two teams were tied at one through the opening 20 minutes.
Jackson Keane restored the Vees lead early in the second period by stealing a puck in the neutral zone, skating down the left wing with room and beating Eisele through the five hole before the goaltender even moved.
As the period continued, the Wild started turning on the pressure and held the Vees in their own end for minutes at a time. Penticton survived the push and went on the attack themselves.
This time it was Wenatchee who couldn’t clear the zone, but Penticton capitalized. Chris Klack through the puck on goal from the slot with Dakota Boutin parked in front. Eisele made the save on the initial shot and the first rebound, but was helpless to stop Boutin on the second rebound as he lifted it over the right pad of the goalie to make it 3-1 Vees with six minutes to play.
The Vees then added a power-play goal in the final minute of the second as Cassidy Bowes tried a goal line drive from the right wing but lost the puck in skates. He poked it to himself and came to the top of the crease where he was able to roof it over Eisele’s glove to make it 4-1 Vees after two.
Boutin added his second goal of the night, and fourth point, 6:34 into the third on a breakaway to cap off the scoring. Wenatchee pressured Scheel with 12 shots over the final 20 minutes, but the Vees goaltender didn’t break and held on for the 5-1 win.
With the victory Penticton officially clinches first place in the overall BCHL standings and will have home ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The win also means Penticton will play the Coquitlam Express in the opening round, with game one Friday at the SOEC.
The Vees still have one more regular season game to play however. The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are at the SOEC Sunday afternoon at 2:00 to wrap up the year. Following the game, team awards will be handed out on the ice.
