FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Penticton, BC– The Penticton Vees wasted little time in putting Saturday’s loss behind them. Wade Murphy scored two first period goals, including a short-handed marker, as the Vees rolled-over the Cowichan Valley Capitals 7-1 Sunday afternoon.; the Vees rebounding nicely after a 3-2 setback in Merritt just one night ago.
Murphy and Brad McClure led the Vees in scoring, each finishing with three points, as both scored for the first time in four games. Eleven different Vees picked up at least a single point and seven finished with two or more points.
Murphy got things rolling four and a half minutes into the first period when he converted on a Jedd Soleway feed from the left-corner. Murphy beat Patrick Spano for his 21st and first of two in the period. He bagged his second five-minutes later with the Vees down a skater. Murphy finished off a give-and-go with McClure by sliding a back-hand through the legs of the Capitals goaltender at 9:33; Murphy scoring twice in a five-minute span after no goals in his previous four.
Ryan Gropp added to the Vees lead in the opening minutes of the second, as he pounced on a puck in the slot. Brock Balson went hard to the net and the puck bounced out in the slot. Gropp fired the biscuit into the yawning cage for his 12th but the goal was originally waived off. After the three officials conferred at centre-ice, the goal would indeed count; the Vees up by three at 2:49. The Gropp shot hit the middle-bar and quickly bounced out causing some confusion for the referee.
James Waddington spoiled Nic Renyard’s shutout bid in the second when he converted on a scramble at the Vees crease. Waddington fished-out the puck and put a shot over the glove of Renyard at 6:12.
The goal did little to slow the Vees down, as they restored their four-goal lead just over a minute later. Jedd Soleway scored a tap-in on the power-play just before the eight-minute mark. John Siemer found Soleway at the top of the crease from the corner, and Soleway did the rest for his 18th at 7:55.
The Vees manufactured three more goals in the third period to put the game well out of reach. Brad McClure jammed a puck past Patrick Spano at 8:05 after he took a pass from behind the net; McClure’s team-leading 25th and first since February 2nd.
The Vees got their sixth goal from an unlikely source, as Bryan Sinz took care of a rebound after a three-on-one rush. Sam Mellor was stopped on a wrist-shot from the right-circle, but Sinz drove the net and cash-in for his third at 13:32. Travis Blanleil capped off the scoring with a late power-play marker at 18:51
FINAL SCORE:7-1 VEES
Shots: 45-16 Vees
Power-Play: Vees 2-3 Caps 0-3 (1 short-handed goal against)
Three Stars: 1) Wade Murphy 2) John Siemer 3) Patrick Spano
Attendance: 1,440
GAME NOTES
Sunday was the Vees final game against an Island Division team and they finish with a 7-1-0-2 record; 4-0-0-1 at home. Their overall record jumps up to 34-13-0-3 for 71 points, six clear of idle Merritt who have two games in hand on the Vees.
UP NEXT
The Vees don’t return to the ice until Friday, February 22nd when they host the Centennials; puck drop is 7pm. It is the seven and final meeting of the regular season between the two divisional foes and third in fourteen days. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office at the SOEC, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com
