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Image Credit: Penticton Vees

PENTICTON - The Penticton Vees wanted nothing more than a win in front of a large crowd in their return home, but Jayson Argue and the Nanaimo Clippers had other plans. Argue made 42 saves, including 18 in the third, as the Clippers held on for a 5-3 win at the SOEC on Saturday.

The loss is the first in regulation at home for the Vees, and just their second in ten games at the SOEC.

Over twenty-five hundred fans were on hand to watch the Vees first home game in twenty-two days, but the Clippers tried their best to spoil the party in the first period. Brendan Taylor opened the scoring without actually shooting at the net, as his pass from behind the goal found its way in off a skate. Taylor, from below the goal-line, threw the puck into the crease, where it deflected of a Vees defenders skate and past Olivier Mantha at the post at 11:25.

Clint Filbrandt and Ryan Forbes came to blows shortly thereafter, as the two engaged in a spirited tussle in the Vee end; Filbrandt taking Forbes to the ice with a heavy right hand.

Anthony Sabitsky doubled the visitors lead late in the opening period off another strange bounce. As a Clippers power-play was expiring, Sabitsky watched as the puck ricocheted off a defenders stick (who was trying to disrupt the pass) and right to his blade in the circle. Sabitsky didn’t squander the opportunity, as he quickly hammered the puck into the open side at 19:04.

The Vees bounced back after that goal and on a bounce that went their way. On the very next shift, Cody DePourcq banged-in a rebound off the end wall and past Jayson Argue. Brett Beauvais ripped a shot high and wide but the puck caromed off the glass and back out front to DePourcq, who neatly tucked the rebound between his legs and past Argue at 19:27.

The Vees turned up the pressure in the second period, firing another ten shots at the Nanaimo goal but failed to get the equalizer despite several great chances. The two best chances came off the stick of Matt Serratore, who was robbed twice by Jayson Argue, first by his right pad in close, and then his follow up attempt was fought off by Argue’s blocker. The Vees, despite outshooting the Clippers 25-8 through two periods, trailed 2-1 going into the third period.

Riley Alferd finally brought the Vees back on even terms early in the third and in the process got a monkey off his back. Alferd jumped all over a rebound in the slot and buried his first as a Vee and first in twenty-two games at 1:21

It was a back and forth period, as Scott Prier put the Clippers back out ahead a short time later when he made quick work of a power-play. It took all of five seconds for the Clippers to cash-in on the man-advantage, after Prier ripped a slap-shot from the point past the glove of Mantha at 6:10.

The Vees didn’t fold and used a power-play of their own to once again draw even. Captain Brad McClure, who came into the game with five goals in his last four games, sniped his team leading 16th at 13:51. McClure wired a wrist-shot over the glove of Argue from the left-circle to square the game at three’s.

But the jubilation was short lived, as the Clippers went ahead for good just over two minutes later. On an inconspicuous rush down the right-wing, Korey Morgan snuck a wrist-shot from the bottom of the right-circle underneath the arm of Mantha at 15:57; the Clippers grabbing their fourth lead and this time they didn’t relinquish it.  Spencer Hewson sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:51.

FINAL SCORE: 5-3 Clippers

Shots: 45-16 Vees

Power-Plays: Vees 1-5 Clippers 1-5

Three Stars: 1) Jason Argue 2) Riley Alferd 3) Scott Prier

Attendance: 2,507

The Vees record falls to 14-5-1-2 but still hold onto first place in the Interior Division with 31 points; Merritt and Vernon were both idle Saturday. The Vees home record drops to 8-1-0-1 and Saturday was their first loss at the SOEC since October 16th. The Clippers take both games of the season series, after winning the opener 3-2 in overtime one week ago.

The Vees look to get back in the win column on Wednesday when they host their longtime rival the Vernon Vipers; puck drop is 7pm.

News from © iNFOnews, 2013