Image Credit: Cherie Morgan Photography
February 20, 2016 - 9:25 AM
SALMON ARM - The Penticton Vees picked up their first win in Salmon Arm this season Friday, Feb. 19, and it wasn’t easy. Tyson Jost scored the game-winner late in the third period, as the Vees edged the Silverbacks 3-2 at a boisterous Shaw Centre.
It was the Vees first win in Salmon Arm in three tries this season and their first since Oct. 26, 2014; they were winless in their last four trips to the “Cable Box” before Friday night.
Chris Gerrie, Demico Hannoun and Tyson Jost scored for the Vees, who evened their record to 3-3 against Salmon Arm this season. Anthony Brodeur kicked-out 18 of 20 shots for his 27th win and second in as many starts against the ‘Backs.
Angus Redmond was the story in the Silverbacks’ net, as the Vees peppered him with 41-shots, 38 of which he steered aside. Nick Hutchinson and Taro Hirose scored the two goals for the ‘Backs, who lost their second straight.
Tied 2-2 with less than five-minutes left in the third, Jost won a face-off back to David Eccles, before moving in front of the net and tipping in Eccles’ point-shot at 15:40; the Captain’s 38th and what turned out to be the game-winner.
The Vees thought they had the game-winner earlier in the third period when Chris Gerrie broke a 1-1 tie near the nine-minute mark. Gerrie found the puck in the circle, navigated traffic, and moved to the middle, firing a shot past the goalie’s blocker at 8:19.
However, the celebration quickly faded away as the Silverbacks tied it just 21-seconds later. Taro Hirose was sprung on a breakaway from the Vees’ blue-line and beat Anthony Brodeur with a backhand over his glove at 8:40; the Vees’ first lead lasted a mere seconds.
After a scoreless first period, the Silverbacks broke the deadlock earlier in the second. Nick Hutchinson took the puck away from a Vees’ defenseman near the blue-line, went wide around the net and tucked in a wraparound on the far-side at 2:42.
Brodeur prevented Hutchinson from doubling the ‘Backs lead a few minutes later with a fantastic glove save. Hutchinson, alone in front, tried to go forehand, backhand but his deke was picked out of the air by Brodeur’s quick glove hand; that save proved to be critical.
That stop kept the Vees in striking distance and they eventually tied it up midway through the middle stanza. During a four-on-four sequence, Luke Voltin fired a breakout pass from his own corner, all the way out to the neutral zone, to wide open Demico Hannoun. The 20-year-old broke in on an odd-man rush, kept the puck and fired a low shot underneath Angus Redmond at the near post; his 13th tying it 1-1 at 11:36.
Penticton took over the game, territorially and on the shot clock in the final two periods. The Vees outshot Salmon Arm 30-13 in the final forty-minutes and had 73 shots attempts in the game, compared to the Silverbacks’ 29.
Final Score: 3-2 Vees
Shots 41-20 Vees
Power-Play: Vees 0-5 Salmon Arm 0-2
Three Stars: 1) Tyson Jost 2) Angus Redmond 3) Demico Hannoun
Jost (12-games) and Scott Conway (19-games) extended their respective point streaks in the win. Conway’s lead atop of the BCHL scoring race is now six points, with his assist Friday. The Vees improved their record to 27-5 against their own division with the victory and are now 6-0 in February.
Penticton (47-6-1-0) returns home tomorrow to face the Victoria Grizzlies (22-28-0-4) at the SOEC; face-off is 6pm. It’s the Vees’ second-to-last home game of the regular season and their second meeting against the Grizz; they beat them 7-5 back on February 4th. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office or online, at www.valleyfirsttix.com.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016