The Penticton Vees were on the other end of a shutout Saturday, as they were blanked 3-0 by the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at the Shaw Centre. The goose-egg coming on the heels of a 3-0 win Friday at home against Vernon.
The loss snaps the Vees (29-6-2-1) three-game win streak and is their first loss to the Silverbacks (15-13-3-5) in five games this season. The win was Salmon Arm’s fifth straight and they’ve now pulled within four points of the fourth and final playoff spot in the Interior.
The show was on the other foot Saturday, as the Vees got to feel what it’s like to run into a hot goaltender, as Angus Redmond stopped all 35 shots the Vees threw his way, handing the Vees just their second shutout loss this season; first since September 27th.
Despite the setback, the Vees had a strong showing in Salmon Arm, especially early as they had the first five shots of the game. However, the Silverbacks opened the scoring on their very first shot, as Taro Hirose scored on a nifty end-to-end rush at 6:04.
The Vees had their chances in the first period, including Mitch Newsome rifling a shot off the cross-bar right after a face-off in the Salmon Arm end. Late in the period, Hunter Miska made two point-blank saves off of Bryden Marsh to keep the deficit to one.
The Vees trailed after twenty-minutes despite outshooting the Silverbacks 13-7.
The Vees were handed a great opportunity to tie the game early in the second when they had back-to-back power-plays but came away empty handed.
The Vees spent the majority of both power-plays in the Salmon Arm end but couldn’t solve ‘Backs goaltender Angus Redmond. Jack Ramsey had the Vees best chance but his one-timer from the left-wing deflected wide off a defenseman’s stick.
Salmon Arm doubled their lead late in the middle frame and moments after their only power-play of the game expired. Just after the Vees penalized player stepped back onto the ice to join the play, the ‘Backs Phil Middleton had his point-shot find its way through a maze and past Miska at 16:47; his second goal against Penticton this season.
The Vees pushed Salmon Arm in the third, outshooting the home team 15-6 but couldn’t breach Angus Redmond. Demico Hannoun had the best chance to break the Vees goose-egg but his slick deke down the left-wing finished with him wiring the puck off the cross-bar.
Ross Heidt sealed the win for Salmon Arm with an empty-net goal with seven seconds left in regulation.
Final Score: 3-0 Silverbacks
Shots: 35-20 Vees
Power-Play: Vees 0-2 Silverbacks 0-1
Three Stars: 1) Angus Redmond 2) Tyson Jost 3) Phil Middleton
The Vees record drops to 3-1-1-0 against the Silverbacks and now the final two games of the seven-game season series shifts to Penticton. With their loss and the Vernon Viper’s win over Trail Saturday, the Vees lead atop of the Interior has shrunk to 12 points. Saturday snapped Hunter Miska’s seven-game unbeaten run, as the Vees puck-stopper suffered his first loss since November 29th.
The Vees return to action Wednesday, when they host the defending BCHL champions, the Coquitlam Express in a mid-week clash at the SOEC; puck drop is 7pm. It’s another “Wicked Wednesday” as tickets are $5 and draft beer is just $3.50 and fountain pop is $2.50. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office at the SOEC.
