Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (16-7-1-2) jumped out to an early lead and never looked back against the Surrey Eagles (7-22-0-1) Wednesday, cruising to a 6-1 win.
Massimo Rizzo opened the scoring just 2:19 into the game, walking down the slot before firing a wrist shot past the blocker of Cayden Bailey for his third of the year, and third straight game with a goal.
Jackson Niedermayer scored his long-awaited first career goal later in the period. Off a 3-on-2 rush, Andre Ghantous fed the puck to Niedermayer who wired a wrist shot off the post and past the glove of Bailey. The Vees led 2-0 after one, outshooting Surrey 13-6.
The Vees got a power play early in the second after Eric Linell took an ugly hit from behind in the Surrey end, and David Silye made them pay with a snap shot from the right circle off a nice feed from Ryan Sandelin to make it 3-0 just 4:08 into the period.
The boarding call by Surrey led to more rough stuff, as the scrums after whistles escalated over the course of the second period.
Late in the frame Sandelin would score off another shot from the right circle, his 17th of the season gave the Vees a 4-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.
Miller extended the Vees lead on another power play after Rizzo made a nice move around the defender along the right boards, before sliding the puck to Miller who crept in from the blue line.
Cole Shepard capped off the scoring for Penticton on the night, poking the puck away from a Surrey defender at the Penticton blue line before racing in on a breakaway and beating Hayden Missler along the ice for his third of the year.
Holden Katzalay broke Jack LaFontaine’s shutout bid with 7:02 to go in the game, capitalizing on a turnover by the Vees in the defensive zone.
In all, Penticton outshot the Eagles 38-21 in a game that never looked in doubt. Announced attendance was 2,851.
Penticton now hits the road for four straight games beginning Friday night against the Coquitlam Express. The Express have lost their last four games, giving up 25 goals in the process. Penticton hosted Coquitlam October 24, dropping a 3-2 shootout decision.
