Penticton, BC: A series of unfortunate events led to the Vees dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in game three of the Interior Division quarterfinals to the Cowichan Valley Capitals Tuesday night. The Vees now trail the series 2-1.
After a scoreless first period, the Vees got their first power play of the game early in the second. Just 11 seconds into the man advantage, James Miller got the puck in the high slot and took a stride in before leaning into a slap shot for his first of the playoffs.
Later in the period, David Silye was kicked out of the face-off circle and Lukas Sillinger stepped in. When the linesman dropped the puck, it appeared to go off Sillinger’s arm and into Capitals control but play continued.
Spencer Hora took a wrist shot from the line that was deflected by Luc Wilson into the net to tie the game at one heading into the third period.
In the third, while on another power play, the Vees were called for their second too many men on the ice penalty of the game and it cost them.
Just four seconds into the four-on-four, Niko Selivanov stole the puck away off the face-off and beat Jack LaFontaine over the glove to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead 5:12 into the third period.
The Vees fought back and eventually were give another power play after Massimo Rizzo took a knee-on-knee hit from Dimitri Mikrogiannakis.
Rizzo stayed out to start the power play and it’s a good thing he did. After Silye was stopped on a rink-wide chance, bodies piled up in front of the Capitals net trying to cover the puck.
Rizzo was at the back of the pile and was able to dig the puck free before beating Pierce Diamond on the blocker side to tie the game with 7:16 left in regulation.
The game went into overtime and not only after the puck was dropped, trouble began for Penticton. Mason Snell tried to poke a puck away at centre but lost his stick in the process.
The Capitals then controlled the puck in the Vees zone for nearly a minute before LaFontaine had a chance to cover the puck. He elected to keep play going before the Capitals were able to regain control.
David Melaragni then took a pass in the left circle and took a few strides in before firing a wrist shot over the glove of LaFontaine to win the game for the Capitals and give them the 2-1 series lead.
Penticton now looks to even the series at two in game four tomorrow and make it a best of three heading into game five Saturday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
