Vees hammer Warriors 11-3

Penticton’s offensive explosion includes 5 points from 16-year-old

The Okanagan Weekend

After managing just 65 goals in their first 19 games, the Penticton Vees have busted out with 18 in back-to-back lopsided victories.

Dakota Boutin and rookie defenceman Nicky Leivermann notched their first BCHL hat tricks and 16-year-old phenom Massimo Rizzo racked up five assists as the Vees torched the West Kelowna Warriors 11-3 on Friday at Royal LePage Place.

Owen Sillinger and Ben Allen each scored twice and the Vees built period leads of 3-1 and 7-1 in avenging a 4-3 loss from Nov. 3 at RLP.

Ryan Sandelin also scored as the Vees (13-5-1-2) moved into a tie for third place in the Interior Division with the Warriors and the Wenatchee Wild, who prevailed 5-1 in Coquitlam on Friday.

In addition to making 36 saves, goalie Adam Scheel picked up an assist for the third straight game for the Vees, now unbeaten in four games.

Willie Reim, Wyatt Head and R.J. Murphy replied for the Warriors, who face a long bus trip to Prince George to face the Spruce Kings tonight.

Cody Porter gave up seven goals on 28 shots before Cole Demers came on to start the third and gave up three more on 14 shots.

Boutin and Reim traded goals before Sillinger and Leivermann scored late in the first, and Boutin clicked on a breakaway just 44 seconds into the second to make it 4-1, and the rout was on.

Rizzo had the primary assist on four goals and a secondary helper as Boutin completed his hatty with 3:16 to go in the second.

Leivermann, a 2017 seventh-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, scored a highlightreel goal at 7:13 of the third to finish his hat trick.

Affiliated player Matthew Byrne of the Okanagan Hockey Academy, making his BCHL debut, assisted on Allen’s second goal.

The Vees scored 11 goals in a game for the first time since beating Surrey Eagles 11-0 in February of 2016.

Rizzo, Leivermann and Boutin were the three stars.

The Vees look to keep the good times rolling as they welcome the lowly Cowichan Valley Capitals (2-17-3-1) to the South Okanagan Events Centre tonight at 6 p.m.

Vipers 3 Centennials 2: Jordan Sandhu, Josh Prokop and Jimmy Lambert got the goals as Vernon earned a big road win in Merritt.

Henry Cleghorn and Brendan Schneider scored for the Centennials (8-12-2-1), who trailed 1-0 and 3-1 at the period breaks. Austin Roden was sensational with 48 saves to keep Merritt close, while Ty Taylor stopped 19 shots for Vernon.

Vernon (17-5-0-4) stayed tied for first place in the Interior Division with Trail, who beat visiting Alberni Valley 6-4.