Repeat result for Vees
Penticton scores another 4-1 victory over Merritt to take 2-0 lead in the series
The Penticton Vees followed up another early goal with a relentless two-way performance.
Jamie Armstrong scored 2:44 into the game and added an assist as the Vees beat the Merritt Centennials 4-1 on Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 BCHL Interior Division final.
Duncan Campbell, Taylor Ward and Owen Sillinger also scored and Mat Robson came within 1:51 of a shutout as Penticton triumphed by the same scoreline for the second straight night in front of 2,837 fans.
“At times we were a bit nervous and out of sorts with our structure in the first game, which was understandable after being off for almost a month,” said Vees GM/head coach Fred Harbinson. “In this one, all four of our lines and our three (defence) pairings were terrific, and our goalie has been tremendous all year.”
Armstrong’s opener was a fortuitous one as his long-range shot off the rush was going wide until Merritt goalie Jacob Berger diverted into his own net at 2:44. In Game 1, the Vees scored just 1:24 into the contest.
“I’m sure (Berger) would like that one back, but we got a lot of pucks to the net, and when you do, good things happen,” said Harbinson.
The Vees completely dominated the second period.
Penticton outshot the visitors 16-6 in the middle frame, finally scoring at 13:56 as Jones teed up Campbell with a backhand saucer pass into the slot.
“We really owned the zone in that period and getting that second goal was really critical,” said Harbinson. “Until then, it’s still a one-shot game.”
Ward scored on an odd-man rush from linemates Armstrong and Matt Gosiewski with 5:35 to play in the game to make it 3-0.
“Getting that secondary scoring is huge,” said Harbinson. “You can’t win with just one or two lines scoring in the playoffs. Those guys were relentless in all three zones.”
Harbinson said the Vees limited Merritt to precious few “Grade-A scoring chances” but the Cents broke through on a goal by Stephan Seeger at 18:09 right off a faceoff after Berger went to the bench for an extra attacker.
“He picked the corner bar-down, you’ve got to give (Seeger) credit for that one,” said Robson. “It just happened in a blink of an eye but I would have liked to have stopped that one. Getting the win is the important thing.”
Berger scrambled to the bench again shortly after the ensuing faceoff but Amonte unselfishly set up Sillinger to finish it off with 53 seconds to go. Defenceman Gabe Bast, the Game 1 hero with two goals, also assisted.
The Vees outshot the Cents 40-27 with Armstrong, Robson and Berger named the three stars.
The series now shifts to the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena in Merritt for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, both 7 p.m. puck-drops. If a Game 5 is necessary it will be played Thursday at the SOEC.
ICE CHIPS: The Vees once again scratched F Taylor Sanheim and defencemen Sam Rossini (lower-body), Greg Brydon and Kenny Johnson. Affiliated players F Massimo Rizzo and F Cassidy Bowes have also joined up with the Vees for the remainder of the playoffs.