PENTICTON - It wasn’t the start the Vees wanted but it was the perfect ending, as the Vees came from behind to down the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters 3-1 Wednesday.

The victory pushes the Vees undefeated streak to three, as they have two wins and one tie in their first three exhibition contests. They wrap-up their pre-season schedule on the weekend, with a home-and-home series against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks starting Friday.

Tyson Witala opened the scoring late in the first period, as he made the most of a Vees turnover at the net. The Vees coughed the puck up at the side of the goal and Witala quickly deked around a prone Hunter Miska at 15:33. 

The first was a struggle for the home team, as it took them 17 minutes to register their first shot on Trail starter Adam Todd. However, the Vees came to life in the final three minutes, as they outshot the Smokies 7-0 but trailed going into the intermission.

Cody DePourcq brought the Vees back on even terms with Trail early in the middle frame. On their third power-play, DePourcq finished off a nice passing play by skating out from the corner and putting a wrist-shot over Todd at 5:46.

In the third, the Vees went ahead on another power-play, as Matt Serratore put the finishing touches on another pretty passing play down low. Serratore was fed at the back-post after a slick cross-crease feed by Josh Blanchard at 2:37.

Anthony Conti added an insurance marker on a nice individual effort. Conti picked up the puck in neutral zone, and then danced down the right-wing before making a power-move to the crease and tucking the puck past a sprawled Adam Todd at the seven-minute mark.

After being outshot 6-0 in the first 17 minutes of the game, the Vees outshot the Smokies 29-17 the rest of the way. Cody DePourcq and Matt Serratore each picked up a goal and an assist. Josh Blanchard also had a two point night, as he picked up assists on both power-play goals.

The Vees went 2-5 on the power-play; the Smokies went 0-5. The Vees are in Salmon Arm Friday before play their final exhibition game at the SOEC on Saturday; puck drop is 6pm. Tickets are just $5 and available at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com

News from © iNFOnews, 2013