Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (20-10-2-1) were down 3-0 to the Wenatchee Wild (21-10-2-0) just 10:48 into the first period Saturday night, and after clawing their way back to a 3-3 game, the Wild scored an ugly one with four minutes left to take the game 4-3.
Looking for retribution from a frustrating 5-2 loss the night before, the Vees had a nightmare start to the game as Blake Bargar scored just 3:10 into the game, knocking home the rebound off a 2-on-1 rush.
Jack Barnes was then called for two penalties, the second coming just 16 seconds after he stepped out of the box after the first one, and the Wild made the Vees pay.
Matt Gosiewski took a shot from the bottom of the right circle, beating Jack LaFontaine from a sharp angle over the glove to make it 2-0 8:47 in.
Not even a minute after the goal, Luke Loheit was called for boarding and Chad Sasaki’s wrist shot bounced off a Penticton stick and past LaFontaine to give the Wild the 3-0 lead.
Eric Linell give Penticton life, scoring the teddy bear toss goal with 1:25 left in the first period to make it 3-1 after one period.
Ryan Sandelin then cut it down to a one goal game by deflecting James Miller’s slap shot in front of the net with six minutes left in the game.
The Vees avoided disaster in the second as they took three more penalties, but held the Wild off the scoresheet as the game was 3-2 heading into the third.
Sandelin would tie the game in the final period, spinning away from a pinching Wild defender at the Vees blue line and skating in on a 2-on-1 rush. Sandelin held the puck on the left wing and fired it past the blocker side of Cal Sandquist to even the game with 8:37 remaining.
The lead lasted just four minutes before Wenatchee got an ugly one. Brandon Koch took a wrist shot from the left point, and Kenny Johnson, standing alone in front of his net, waved at the puck. It went off the shaft of his stick, bounced off LaFontaine’s shoulder and into the net with 4:07 remaining.
That was all the Wild needed, as even with the goalie pulled for the extra attacker the Vees couldn’t find the equalizer, dropping the game 4-3.
Announced attendance for the game was 3,330. The Vees are next in action Friday when they host Trial.
