PENTICTON, BC ? ThePentiton Vees will head on the road looking to get back on the winning path,after a 6-5 loss to Salmon Arm on Thursday Night in Penticton.
The Vees were outscored three goals to one in each the firstand second period leaving them down by four goals after 40 minutes. A finalperiod rally saw three potted by the Vees and the lead cut to 6-5 with lessthan two minutes to play, but the Vees couldn?t find the equalizer in the finalmoments.
Curtis Loik started the scoring in the opening period withhis first junior goal at 7:21 set up by Steve Iacobellis and James Polk, andthe Vees led 7-0 on the shot clock before they took their first penalty of thenight.
The Silverbacks got six shots on net during that first powerplay and evened the game when David Killip notched his 4th of theseason. Later it was Jarryd Ten Vaanholt at even-strength, and then BryceGervais on the power play to give the Gorillas a 3-1 lead through twentyminutes.
Garrett Milan scored on a rocket early in the second periodset up by Tyler Hlookoff to cut the lead to 4-2, but again the Silverbacksstruck for three more.
First, Matt Cassidy struck for a pair, then Devin Mullerscored the third power play marker for the ?backs and the score was 6-2 after40 minutes.
The Vees tightened things up in the third with a pair ofgoals just eleven seconds apart midway through the frame. Steve Iacobellis wasset up by Troy Stecher and Curtis Loik at 10:30, then an unassisted tally fromBrendan O?Donnell at 10:41 brought the game within two.
With a late power play the Vees pulled Billy Faust ? whoplayed in relief of Joel Rumpel ? for a 6-on-4 advantage, and though theydidn?t score on the man-advantage, they did score on the ensuing pressure toget within one goal with 1:57 to play.
The Vees couldn?t tie the game despite 39 shots directed at Kris Moore, theSilverbacks got six goals on 24 shots split between Rumpel and Faust.
Rumpel takes the loss stopping ten of fifteen shots, whileFaust stopped eight of the nine shots he saw in 26:40 of time in the net.
Josh Monk finished the night with two assists; BryceGervais, Jarryd Ten Vaanholt, and Matt Cassidy also had multi-point nights.
The Vees power play finished 0/2 while the Silverbacks went3/6 on the advantage.
The Silverbacks are now (6-1-0-0) to lead the Interior, whilethe Vees sit at (3-3-0-0) in third spot.
The Vees depart for the Cariboo at 8AM from the SOEC onFriday morning for the final three games of a four-game in four-night stretch.
Friday the Vees play the Millionaires at 7:30, Saturday theVees visit the Prince George Spruce Kings at 7:00, and then finish their firstof two Northern road swings with a 5:00 Sunday affair back in Quesnel. Pre-Gameshow on EZ Rock AM 800 starts twenty minutes prior to puck drop for each game.
Next home action for the Vees comes next Thursday, the 30thof September when the Merritt Centennials face the Vees for the first time thisseason.
Puck drop is 7:00PM and you can catch all the action on EZRock AM 800 in Penticton, in the SOEC at 105.5FM, and online at MyEZRock.com,or BCHL.ca starting with the 6:40 Pre-Game Show.
Vees Game Tickets can be purchased at the SOEC box officeduring business hours, and online at ValleyFirstTix.com
