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Vees power play leads to 5-3 win over Kings

Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (26-12-1-2) scored three times on the man advantage Friday night, leading them to a 5-3 victory over the Powell River Kings (24-15-1-0) at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Eric Linell opened the scoring just 1:27 into the game as he deflected a James Miller slap shot from the blue line. The goal came on the power play after Ethan Martini was called for boarding just 14 seconds after puck drop.

The Kings would even the game five minutes later after Ryan Brushett’s centring feed from the left circle went off Miller’s skate and bounced past Derek Krall.

Penticton would regain the lead while on the power play, taking just nine seconds after the puck was dropped. Miller walked the blue line before firing a wrist shot through traffic that floated past Mitch Adamyk and into the net for Miller’s 18th of the season.

Powell River wouldn’t relent, tying the game with a power-play goal of their own in the final minute of the period when Levi Glasman’s wrist shot bounced through the five hole of Krall.

Luke Loheit restored the Vees lead when he batted a puck out of mid air. Miller’s wrist shot from the blue line hit Adamyk in the mask and Loheit knocked the rebound in 3:26 into the second period.

Adamyk put on a goaltending clinic in the middle frame, turning aside multiple quality scoring chances to keep the Kings within reach. It paid off as Ethan Schmunk tied the game 10:35 into the second, stuffing a puck past an outstretched Krall on the goal line.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as Loheit went end to end, racing through the neutral zone and around a defender before sliding the puck through the five hole of Adamyk with 4:49 remaining.

Peter Muzyka was a physical force in the second period, throwing three massive body checks getting the crowd into the game.

Penticton finally got that elusive two-goal lead in the third when Linell scored nearly a carbon copy of his first goal, deflecting a Miller shot from the line while on the power play just 48 seconds into the final period.

The goal would be the final one scored in the game as the Vees went 3-for-8 on the man advantage, holding Powell River to just 10 shots over the final 40 minutes.

Penticton is now set to host the hottest team in the BCHL, the Nanaimo Clippers, to the SOEC Saturday night. With their overtime win in Trail on Friday, the Clippers have won 10 straight games.

Announced attendance was 2,924.