Defence doesn’t rest as Vees maul Grizzlies
Having only three regular defencemen in the lineup looked like a recipe for disaster for the Penticton Vees.
Instead, the Vees cooked up another big victory in front of a season-best crowd of 4,256 on Anti-Bullying Night Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
David Silye scored twice as the Vees gutted out a 4-1 victory over the Island Division-leading Victoria Grizzlies.
“You rank different moments in 12 years coaching here and that was certainly one of the guttiest performances by a Vees team,” said Penticton GM/head coach Fred Harbinson. “It was a statement win in a lot of ways … in front of a huge crowd and against a first-place team that’s scoring over four goals a game with the best power play in the league. “I’m just real proud of this group.” Brendan Harrogate scored in his return to the lineup from injury and captain Massimo Rizzo scored for the second straight game as the Vees (15-7-1-2) took over sole possession of second place in the tightly congested Interior Division.
James Miller carded two assists and is now just a point behind Victoria’s Carter Berger for the scoring lead among BCHL defencemen. Berger – who has 31 points – had given Victoria (17-8-0-1) the lead after 20 minutes.
Jack LaFontaine was terrific with 30 saves for the Vees, while Kurtis Chapman made 27 saves for Victoria.
With only Miller, Mason Snell and Jack Lagerstrom available on the blueline due to injuries and suspension, the Vees brought in 16-yearold Scott Gilowski from the Okanagan Rockets and 18-year-old Kaden Moravek from the KIJHL’s Summerland Steam as reinforcements.
Harbinson said Snell and Miller played well over 30 minutes in helping shut down the league’s marquee player and projected firstround 2019 NHL draft pick Alex Newhook.
“Those kids (Gilowski and Moravek) gave us some good minutes,” said Harbinson. “They’re playing their first BCHL game with a big crowd and a bunch of scouts in the building to watch Newhook and Rizzo.”
The Vees survived a difficult first period down by just 1-0, but bounced back to outshoot the Grizzlies 18-9 and outscore them 3-0 in the second stanza.
On the tying goal, Andrew Ghantous tried a wraparound, Chapman made the save, but Ghantous jammed away at the rebound and it popped to the top of the crease. Silye poked at it and got it through the five-hole of Chapman to even the game. Just 48 seconds later Penticton took their first lead of the game. The puck came to Miller who let a shot go along the ice that was tipped by Rizzo and over the glove of Chapman to make it 2-1.
Harrogate gobbled up a loose pick and got behind the defence before lifting a backhander over the blocker of Chapman with just 21 seconds to go in the period to make it 3-1.
With the net empty for Victoria for the last 2:20 of the third period, LaFontaine and the Vees weathered the storm before Silye found the empty net with one second left.
The result leaves the Vees just two points behind first-place Merritt Centennials, with the Vees holding two games in hand. The Vees .660 winning percentage is the best in the Interior Division.
The Vees are back in action Wednesday as the lowly Surrey Eagles visit the SOEC in a 7 p.m. puck-drop.
The Vees visit Coquitlam on Friday and make the return trip to Surrey on Saturday.
ICE CHIPS: Vees standout D Conner Hutchinson could miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, while D Peter Muzyka is out at least six weeks with a broken jaw. D Kenny Johnson has three games remaining on a four-game ban for a check-tothe-head infraction Nov. 14 against West Kelowna. D Kelvin Hair (lower body) could play this week … Vees F Lukas Sillinger (broken finger) and F Luke Loheit (shoulder) are each about two weeks away from returning ... The Brooks Bandits (Alberta league) remained No. 1 in last week’s Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings.