Vees look to keep winning streak alive vs. ‘Backs
The Penticton Vees turned in another relentless performance in breezing to their 11th straight victory.
Jackson Keane tallied a goal and an assist and defenceman Nicky Leivermann collected three helpers as the Vees defeated the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 5-1 in BCHL action Wednesday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Ryan Sandelin, Taylor Ward and Cassidy Bowes also scored as the Vees (215-1-2) beat the Silverbacks for the third time in as many meetings this season.
The Vees — who reached the halfway point of the 58-game schedule — edged within two points of the first-place Vernon Vipers in the Interior Division, and still have four games in hand. Vernon surprisingly lost 3-2 at home in overtime to lowly Coquitlam.
Trey Thomas scored for the Silverbacks (12-16-3), who remained tied for last place with idle Merritt in the Interior.
Adam Scheel made 22 saves for his league-best 13th win.
Kyle Dumba made 25 saves to keep the Silverbacks in the game for two periods before being ejected midway through the third. Reid Cooper came on and made three stops.
The Vees, who remarkably got the first eight power plays in the game, outshot the visitors 14-4 in the first period and scored the only goal. Sandelin fired a quick shot off the rush that caught Dumba moving across the crease at 12:14.
Penticton finally did get a power play goal at 5:51 of the second period as Ward got a fortunate bounce in front of the net to make it 2-0.
On one of their few chances in the first two periods, Thomas scored a shorthanded goal at 9:04 to cut the lead to 2-1.
Bowes got a vital goal for the Vees with 1:24 left in the period to restore the twogoal edge. Grant Cruikshank was denied on a breakaway, but put the rebound out in front for Bowes to swipe home.
The Vees kept the heat on in the third and the Silverbacks wilted.
Keane scored on a great set-up by Leivermann at 1:48 and Nash deflected home a point shot by defenceman Ethan McLaughlin at 10:04 to make it 5-1.
McLaughlin — a Penticton product from the Okanagan Hockey Academy program making his BCHL debut — earned an assist on the goal along with Ben Allen.
Dumba protested Nash’s goal was directed in by a high stick and got ejected from the game for his efforts, with Cooper forced into action cold off the bench for Salmon Arm.
Leivermann, Cruikshank and Keane were the three stars in front of 2,815 fans.
The Vees will look to make it a dozen wins in a row as they welcome the West Kelowna Warriors to the SOEC Friday at 7 p.m.
Express 3 Vipers 2 (OT): Erin Linell scored at 2:48 of overtime at Kal Tire Place as Coquitlam won for just the fifth time in 30 games.
Sam Kozlowski scored the other two goals for the Express (5-22-1-2).
Jesse Lansdell scored two shorthanded goals in a span of 1:21 in the last seven minutes – the first on a penalty shot - to tie the game and earn Vernon (21-7-1-4) the one point for the overtime loss.