Image Credit: Cherie Morgan Photography
September 17, 2015 - 9:24 AM
PENTICTON - Scott Conway got the party started early last night and then the Penticton Vees fended off the Vernon Vipers late, as they earned their first win of the year, 3-2 on Wednesday night in their London Drugs home opener at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Conway scored twice to lead the pack, Mitch Brooks bagged the other Vees goal and Tyson Jost picked up a pair of assists in the victory. Anthony Brodeur secured his first win as a Vee, stopping 23 of 25 Vernon shots, Sept. 16.
Odeen Tufto and Steven Jandric scored for the Vipers as they were handed their second loss in their first three games.
Conway opened the scoring forty-two seconds into the first after he squeezed a low shot past Vipers starter Andrew Shortridge at the near-post. Conway picking up his first goal and first point as a Vee.
Vernon tied it seven-minutes later, after Tufto shoveled a rolling puck across the goal-line. Jandric’s shot was stopped by Brodeur but it squirted underneath his arm and Tufto was there for the tap-in at 7:45.
The Vees continued pressure paid off later in the opening frame, as Brooks put the Vees back out ahead, on a solo effort down the left-wing. Jason Lavalée found a streaking Brooks and he took the pass in stride before flipping it over Shortridge at 11:12.
Easton Brodzinski had a great chance at the end of the period to put the Vees up by two. He found himself behind the Vipers defense on a breakaway and in the dying moments but he was stuffed by the long leg of Shortridge as the clock ran down.
Conway did get that elusive two-goal lead early in the second when he cleaned up his own rebound. Shortridge stopped his first attempt from the right-wing but Conway found daylight at the post on the follow try at 4:32.
The second was by the far the Vees best period, as they spent a considerable amount of time in the offensive zone but they couldn’t pull away. Brodzinski came close, again, but his wrist-shot rattled off the base of the post.
The Vipers made it interesting early in the third, as their power-play struck six-minutes in. Jandric hammered a one-timer underneath the cross-bar after a couple of quick passes out of the corner; the Vipers man-advantage shrinking the Vees lead to one.
Vernon pressed in the final moments with the extra-attacker and came close to tying it in the dying seconds. A wobbling point-shot was redirected but it smacked off the cross-bar and stayed out.
FINAL SCORE: 3-2
Shots: 28-25 Penticton
Power-Plays: Vees 0-4 Vernon 1-2
Three Stars: 1) Scott Conway 2) Tyson Jost 3) Odeen Tufto
Attendance: 2,318
The Vees now have back-to-back road games Friday and Saturday against Surrey and West Kelowna; both games can be heard on EZ Rock AM 800. Friday it’s a visit to South Surrey Arena to face the Eagles and then it’s up the road to battle the Warriors at Royal LePage Place. The Vees aren’t back at home until Friday, Oct. 2, when they host Merritt.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015