Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (13-7-1-2) had enough shots on net with 42 towards Brock Baier Tuesday night, but a multitude of goal posts and some big saves by Baier led to a 3-1 loss to the West Kelowna Warriors (15-8-0-1).
James Miller, looking for his eighth goal in as many games, nearly opened the scoring in the first few minutes as his slap shot from the right point clanked off the post.
Warriors opened the scoring with 4:55 remaining in the first. Kenny Johnson lost the puck behind the Vees net and Parm Dhaliwal got control before cutting across the crease and sliding the puck past Derek Krall.
Early in the second the Warriors extended their lead on a similar play. After Lucas Cullen found the puck in the corner, he skated along the goal line before cutting in front of the net and sliding the puck along the ice past Krall just 3:47 into the period.
Ryan Sandelin had a pair of grade A chances in the middle frame, sending one shot from the slot inches wide on Baier’s blocker side and ringing the post on another.
Mike Hardman extended West Kelowna’s lead just over the halfway mark as he jumped on a rebound off Krall’s left pad to make it 3-0.
Mason Snell hit the crossbar from the left circle in the third period, adding to the Vees frustration. Kenny Johnson and Eric Olson dropped the gloves in the Penticton zone with just over nine minutes left, ending the night for both players.
Miller then took exception to Willie Reim cutting through the Vees crease as the two tangled up below the goal line in the Vees zone. Miller was given the extra two minutes for roughing, though the power play lasted just 20 seconds before Cullen was called for holding.
Following 4-on-4, the Vees would spoil Baier’s shutout bid as Jack Barnes and Drew Elser came in on a short 2-on-1 rush. Barnes took a shot from the right circle that was kicked away by Baier, right onto the stick of Elser who fired home his third of the year with 1:16 left.
That was all Penticton would get as they dropped the 3-1 game. The two teams meet again Wednesday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
