FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Saturday, December 29, 2012
VEES RETURN THE FAVOUR IN WEST KELOWNA
WEST KELOWNA, BC-A new look line had its fingerprints all over the score-sheet, as the Penticton Vees doubled-up the West Kelowna Warriors 4-2 Saturday, in a wildly entertaining game at Royal LePage Place.
Sam Mellor, Wade Murphy and Jedd Soleway teamed up for three of the Vees four goals, and the three combined for eight points in the victory. Mellor led the way offensively with one goal and three points, followed by Murphy (0-3-3) and Soleway (2-0-2).
However, none of the three factored in on the opening goal late in the first period. Brad McClure was the only player to light the lamp in the opening frame, notching his 18th of the season at 19:30. McClure put a shot from the right goal-line off the blocker of Tyler Briggs and in for his fifth goal this season against the Tribe.
The Warriors drew even early in the second period on a controversial play. Travis Blanleil had his legs taken out from underneath him at centre on a low hit, the play continued and Marcus Basara buried a rebound out front at 3:21 to bring the Warriors Level. Blanleil did not return to the game after the hit.
The Vees didn’t waiver, as Jedd Soleway scored his first of two, to put the Vees ahead once more. On a power-play, Soleway squeezed a shot through the wickets of Briggs from the left-goal for his eighth at 6:05.
Once again the Warriors had a counter-punch, bringing the game back on even terms late in the period. After the Vees took two penalties in four seconds, the Warriors capitalized on the five-on-three on a wrist-shot from Adam Plant at 14:36; Plant’s shot from the top of the left-circle beat Katunar on the blocker-side.
After a back-and-forth forty minutes, the Vees finally pulled away early in the third period on two quick goals from Sam Mellor and Jedd Soleway. Mellor put the Vees ahead for good in the opening moments of the third, forcing a puck over the goal-line during a goal-mouth scramble. Mellor jabbed at a bouncing puck that knuckled its way in at the forty second mark.
Soleway sealed the victory with second of the game just past the six minute mark. Mellor had a shot stopped by Tyler Briggs from the slot, but the rebound bounced away from Briggs. Soleway, on a heads-up play, swatted the puck out of mid-air and into the gaping net for his ninth at 6:29
Tempers flared in the dying moments of the third, as five penalties, two game misconducts and six misconducts were handed out after a brouhaha in the Vees zone. After the dust settled, the Vees skated away with the weekend split and their 23rd win.
FINAL SCORE:4-2 Vees
Shots: 36-29 Warriors
Power-Play: Vees 1-5 Warriors 1-2
Three Stars: 1) Jedd Soleway 2) Sam Mellor 3) Reid Simmonds
Vees Notes: The Vees finished a perfect 4-0 in West Kelowna this season and are now 9-1-0-1 on the road against the Interior Division. With the win, they push their overall record to 23-9-0-3, nine points clear of second place Merritt.
Sam Mellor and Wade Murphy both extend their point streaks in the win. Mellor has points in his last 10 games; Murphy runs his streak to seven games. Mellor has been a thorn in the Warriors side; in six games he has two goals and 11 points.
Cody DePourcq also didn’t make it out of the second period, leaving the game with an upper-body injury; the Vees finished the game with 10 forwards. Both DePourcq and Blanleil will be reevaluated early next week.
The Vees are off until Friday, January 4th, when they pay a visit to the Merritt Centennials. The Vee are back at home one night later, when they host the Surrey Eagles on Saturday January 5th. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com
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