FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, March 9th
VEES STAGE COMEBACK IN WIN OVER PG
PRINCE GEORGE, BC- Mario Lucia recorded a hat-trick and the Penticton Vees scored four unanswered goals in the third period for a come-from-behind 8-5 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The win and two points set a new BCHL record for most points by a team in a single season with 110. Also the win was the Vees forty-second in a row and twenty-first consecutive on the road.
Paul De Jersey gave the home side their first lead of the game, short-handed no less, when he opened the scoring at 4:47; his wrist-shot beating Chad Katunar and deflecting in off cross-bar.
Penticton countered with two quick goals of their own; Mario Lucia scoring his first of three on the power-play just past the fifteen minute mark. Logan Johnston scored just a minute and eleven seconds after Lucia to give the Vees a 2-1 lead; Lucia setting up Johnston for a one-timer in the slot.
Prince George evened the game at two’s before the intermission; on a power-play of their own, as Gerry Fitzgerald stuffed a rebound past Katunar’s outstretched arm at 18:31.
The second period featured five goals, three by Prince George. Michael Colantone opened up the scoring in the middle frame; wiring a wrist-shot pat Katunar seventy-two seconds in.
Mario Lucia scored his second and brought the game back to even terms a few minutes later, baning in a Travis St. Denis rebound just before the six minute mark.
The tie was short-lived, as just thirty-two seconds later Tyson Witala was credited with redirecting a shot past Katunar to give Prince George the lead once more.
Penticton was a resilient group, as they leveled the game at four’s on another power-play. Mario Lucia, as the man-advantage was winding down, swatted a bouncing puck past Ty Swaab at 15:30; his third goal of the night and BCHL leading forty-second.
Prince George didn’t stop either, restoring another one-goal lead, their fourth of the game, when Myles Fitzgerald converted on a slick set-up by Juhar Khaira at 16:19.
The third signaled an impressive come-back by the Vees, as Wade Murphy kicked things off with a tip off a Mike Reilly point-shot just thirty-five seconds in. Steven Fogarty gave the Vees their second lead of the game, on a short-handed rush just three minutes after Murphy’s tally. On the penalty-kill, Fogarty stripped Chase Golighty at center and raced down the left-wing before sliding the puck under Swaab at 3:05; his thirty-third and game winner.
Penticton added two more for insurance, the first coming when Steven Fogarty set up Joey Benik at 15:46 to give the Vees a two goal cushion. Fogarty walked out from from the corner before feathering a pass cross-crease to Benik for his thirtieth. Travis St. Denis sealed the win with an empty-net strike with just sixty-six seconds left.
The win was the Vees fifty-fourth and their sixth in seven games against Prince George.
FINAL SCORE: 8-5 Vees
Shots: 42-40 Prince George
Power-Plays: Vees 2/4 Prince George 1 /4
Three Stars 1) Mario Lucia 2) Travis St. Denis 3) Michael Colantone
Hardest Working Vee: Mario Lucia
Penticton concludes their regular season schedule tomorrow, Saturday, March 10th, when they square-off once more with the Spruce Kings at the Coliseum; puck drop is 7pm.
