Vees make short work of struggling Cents
A second-period six-pack powered the Penticton Vees to an easy victory over the struggling Merritt Centennials.
Jay O’Brien scored twice as the Vees clobbered the Centennials 9-1 for their seventh win in eight games in 2020 before 2,840 fans Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Captain David Silye had a goal and two assists, Danny Weight, Jackson Niedermayer, Tristan Amonte, Liam Malmquist, Darwin Lakoduc and Jack Barnes also scored and Conner Hutchison logged three assists as the Vees (34-11-1-1) maintained their 10-point lead on the Trail Smoke Eaters atop the Interior Division. Trail defeated the Vernon Vipers 51 on Friday.
Evan Benwell scored for the Cents (10-30-13) who lost their eighth straight game and remained three points behind the West Kelowna Warriors for the 16th and final playoff spot.
Carl Stankowski made 28 saves to get the win while Tanner Marshall had 26 saves for the Cents before giving way to emergency backup Bruce Garcia of the Merritt midget rep team to start the third period. Garcia gave up two goals on 11 shots in his BCHL debut.
Weight scored a highlight-reel goal to open the scoring, beating a trio of defenders, dragging the puck neatly between his legs and hoisting a shot over Marshall at 7:26.
The Vees got sloppy after that and Benwell scored on the third of three straight Merritt breakaways to tie it at 13:23.
That was enough to get the Vees attention to start period two.
O’Brien finished off a terrific three-way passing play at 1:36 and Silye got his team-leading 19th on the power play at 3:25.
Niedermayer scored on a tremendous topcorner snipe on the rush at 9:23 and O’Brien made it 5-1 with his second at 11:39.
Amonte bagged another at 14:11 and Barnes completed the demolition with 20 seconds to go in the period. Garcia came on and did well to hold the Vees at bay before Malmquist and Lakoduc scored in a 27-second span in the last minute of the game.
The Vees have now won all five meetings with Merritt this season by a cumulative score of 29-6. Hutchison, Silye and Weight were the three stars. The Vees remain at home to take on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks tonight at 6 p.m. at the SOEC. Salmon Arm (23-18-1-1) was idle on Friday.
EAGLES 7 WARRIORS 3 — Cristophe Tellier piled up a goal and five assists and Gabe Schovanek added a goal and four helpers as Surrey thumped West Kelowna at Royal LePage Place.
Brandon Santa Juana, Kenny Riddett, Owen Nolan, Wyatt Schlaht and Hudson Schandor also scored for the Eagles (18-20-2-4).
Drew Vieten, Tyler Cristall and Nicholas Ardanaz scored for the Warriors (11-25-5-2), who had a three-game winning streak halted.
Reece Klassen made 26 saves for the win while Johnny Derrick had 26 saves for West Kelowna in front of 602 fans. The Warriors host the Cowichan Valley Capitals at RLP tonight at 6 p.m.
SMOKE EATERS 5 VIPERS 1 — BCHL scoring leader Kent Johnson scored twice and added an assist as Trail defeated Vernon at the Cominco Arena.
Michael Colella, Phillippe Lapointe and Carson Briere also scored for the Smokies (2814-2-1). Johnson has 33 goals and 83 points in 41 games. Landon Fuller replied for the Vipers (23-18-2-1). Logan Terness turned aside 23 shots for the win and Keegan Karki had 22 saves in his Vernon debut.
Vernon hosts Salmon Arm Sunday at 2 p.m.