FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, March 30th
VEES HOLD OFF MERRITT
MERRITT, BC- The Penticton Vees overcame a first period rally by the Merritt Centennials, en route to a 3-2 win in game three on Friday night. The Vees now lead the best-of-seven Interior Conference Final series 2-1.
The Vees came out charging, scoring two goals sixteen seconds apart early in the first period. Cody DePourcq opened the scoring just before the three minute mark. Coming out from behind the goal, DePourcq fired a shot over the shoulder of Tyler Steel on the short-side at 2:45; DePourcq’s first goal of the playoffs and second this season against the Centennials.
Off the ensuing face-off, Wade Murphy potted a rebound off a Mario Lucia shot from the slot for his fifth of the playoffs at 3:01; two quick goals to position the Vees nicely for a game three win or so they thought.
The Centennials threw cold water on the Vees hot start shortly after they called a timeout. Ross Mancuso’s knuckler from the point eluded Chad Katunar at 5:49, cutting the Vees lead in half. Late in the period the Cents’ erased the deficit when Brent Fletcher scored on a rebound from between the circles at 18:27; the two teams tied heading into the intermission.
In the second, after killing-off the final seconds of a penalty, the Vees retook the lead just sixty-one seconds into the period. Fresh out of the penalty-box, Logan Johnston put a point-blank shot past the blocker of Steel from atop of the crease at 1:01; Lucia centering the puck from behind the net after working the puck free from a Merritt defender.
Two late power-plays in the second period gave the Vees an opportunity to increase their lead but were unable to do so; the goal by Johnston’s second of the playoffs would be the only goal of the frame.
In the third period, the Vees rebuffed the Centennials pressure, including killing-off their third power-play midway through the period. With the net empty, Merritt was unable to find the equalizer as the Vees held them at bay with a strong defensive performance in the final minutes.
FINAL SCORE:3-2 Vees
Shots: 26-26
Power-Plays: Vees 0/2 Cents 0/3
Three Stars 1) Mario Lucia 2) Brent Fletcher 3) Cody DePourcq
Hardest Working Vee: Team Defense
Valley First Charitable Donation Grand Total: $5, 460
With the win, the Vees have yet to drop back-to-back games all season, now 9-0-0 after a loss the game before. The win was also their fifth in Merritt in as many games this season.
The Vees can take a 3-1 stranglehold on the series with a win in game four, Saturday March 31st at Nicola Valley Arena; puck drop is scheduled for 7:30pm.
The pre-game show on EZ Rock AM 800 starts twenty minutes prior to puck drop; you can also tune in on MyEZRock.com, and at BCHL.ca where both the audio stream and Pay-Per-View video are available.
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