Vees repeat as champions
For the first time in nearly two decades, the Penticton Vees are back-toback B.C. Hockey League playoff champions.
They hoisted the Fred Page Cup last Wednesday in Alberni Valley after a 4-1 win over the Bulldogs produced a fourgame sweep of the series.
Vees sniper Bradly Nadeau won the Jeff Tambellini Trophy as playoff MVP for a performance that saw him notch 17 goals and 18 assists in 17 playoff games.
“I think it was all a team effort here. They gave me MVP but everyone deserved it,” said Nadeau in an on-ice interview with BCHL staff after the game.
“Everyone gave everything they had. Now we get to go enjoy it as a team.”
Ironically, Nadeau was held off the scoresheet in Game 4.
His brother, Josh Nadeau, scored just over three minutes into the game, Brett Moravec added a pair in the second period, and Dovar Tinling capped off the scoring late in the third period.
Owen Desilets had the lone goal for the Bulldogs early in the second period.
The game was interrupted late in the first period after Vees forward Spencer Smith went down from a hard blow to the head and was taken to hospital for treatment. The Vees later announced Smith was in good spirits and doing well in hospital. The Bulldogs were assessed a five-minute major penalty on the play.
Vees netminder Luca Di Pasquo stopped 26 shots, giving him a 16-1 record for the playoffs with a 1.99 goals-against average and 0.924 save percentage.
“It’s all the hard work we put in all season,” said Di Pasquo in his on-ice interview.
“That’s the stuff people don’t see is the work we put in every day and it’s unbelievable seeing it pay off.”
Vees captain Frank Djurasevic credited the 12 returning veterans from last year’s championship team with bringing something extra to the table.
“Unbelievable group of guys,” said Djurasevic, who’s also moving on to college hockey next season.
Djurasevic also captained the 2021-22 championship Vees squad.
This marks the first time since 1985-86 the Vees have repeated as champions.