Port Alberni, BC: The Penticton Vees (32-12-1-2) jumped out to a 4-0 lead 13:08 into their game against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (16-28-3-0) Saturday night, and held on for a 4-3 win to pick up their eight win in a row.
Lukas Sillinger got the offence rolling just 3:10 into the game, jumping on a rebound off the end wall to score his 10th goal of the season. Ryan Sandelin and David Silye picked up assists.
The Vees were handed a power play three minutes later, and just 15 seconds into the man advantage Evan McIntyre found a loose puck in the crease and slid home his first goal as a Vee to make it 2-0.
Two minutes later Mason Snell took a great pass from Luke Loheit and wound up for a slap shot from the right circle, beating Cole Demers on the glove side to make it 3-0 Vees.
Sillinger capped off the Vees scoring with his second of the game, firing the rebound off a Sandelin shot to make it 4-0 and end the night for Demers who was lifted in place of John Hawthorne.
The Bulldogs, as expected, came out with jump to start the second period and the Vees seemed to have a tough time matching the pace. It wasn’t until late in the period that the Bulldogs were able to score, doing a tic-tac-toe passing play that resulted in Dawson Tritt scoring with 3:45 left in the second.
Nine minutes into the third the Bulldogs cut the lead down further as Michael Hodge took a pass in the left circle and beat LaFontaine on the blocker side to make it 4-2.
The Vees were handed a six-minute power play with 10:32 remaining as an obvious high stick by Mitch Deelstra was missed by the officials. As play continued, Deelstra then tripped Massimo Rizzo at centre and the officials saw David Silye was bleeding, resulting in him being called for the trip and a double-minor for high sticking.
The Vees couldn’t convert, taking five minutes off the clock before James Miller was called for high sticking. Once the Bulldogs were on the power play, Aaron Bohlinger wired a one timer from the left point into the top corner, cutting the Vees lead down to just one.
That was as close as the Bulldogs would come as LaFontaine finished with 36 saves to lead the Vees to the victory.
Penticton now has a chance to sweep their three-game Island swing as they take on the Nanaimo Clippers (22-24-0-0) Sunday afternoon at 2:00. The Clippers have lost six in a row since the Vees ended their 10-game winning streak January 12.
