GAME RECAP: Vees keep perfect record intact with convincing road win in Salmon Arm

Photo: Chris Fowler 

Salmon Arm, B.C. – The Penticton Vees capped off a perfect September with a 6-1 victory over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Friday at the Shaw Centre.

It’s the fourth consecutive season the Vees have started the regular season 3-0-0-0.

Josh Nadeau paced the attack with three points (1G, 2A) and was named the game’s first star. His brother Bradly, Brett Moravec, Ryan Hopkins, and Josh Niedermayer all had a pair of points. The Nadeau brothers each found the back of the net and Moravec, Billy Norcross, Jackson Nieuwendyk, and Aydar Suniev all lit the lamp.

Goaltender Luca Di Pasquo earned his third win in as many games to start the season, as he turned aside 13 of 14 shots. The Vees held the Silverbacks to just two shots over the final 20 minutes.

Penticton controlled the second half of the game, scoring six goals over the final 40 minutes and outshot the Silverbacks 30-8 in the final two periods.

Norcross opened the scoring a minute and a half into the second period. On a Vees’ power play, Norcross followed up Callum Arnott’s rebound and buried into an open net at 1:26 to make it 1-0.

Salmon Arm’s lone goal came on the power play as well. Isaac Lambert tied the game up nine minutes into the second, as he snuck the puck under Di Pasquo’s pad to make it 1-1.

If you’re new here, you might wanna get used to this #BCHL | #PentictonVees pic.twitter.com/VPM0FOw2E5

— Penticton Vees (@PentictonVees) October 1, 2022

Josh Nadeau put the Vees back ahead at 14:19, scoring on a one-timer from the circle to make it 2-1. Brother Bradly set up the play from behind the net. Nieuwendyk then put the visitors ahead 3-1 with just over two minutes left in the middle frame. Nieuwendyk beat Silverbacks’ starter Matthew Tovell on the stick side after a cross-ice pass from Moravec.

Bradly Nadeau added to the Vees’ lead early in the final frame, as he picked up his second of the season 64-seconds into the third to make it 4-1. Then, Penticton scored twice in 68-seconds to put the game out of reach.

Moravec made it 5-1 at 6:40, as he scored after the puck rebounded off the goalie’s pad and right onto his blade. Suniev extended the Vees lead to 6-1 on the next shift, as he popped the puck in after Josh Nadeau did a lap of the net, before dishing off to Suniev at the back post.

Salmon Arm’s Matthew Tovell was replaced by rookie Carter after the Vees’ sixth goal.

 

GAME STATS

Final Score: 6-1, Vees

Vees Scoring: Norcross, Josh Nadeau, Nieuwendyk, Bradly Nadeau, Moravec, Suniev

Shots: 39-14

Vees PP: 1/7

Vees PK: 1/2

Three Stars:

• Josh Nadeau
• Bradly Nadeau
• Josh Niedermayer

Two undefeated teams go head-to-head in West Kelowna tomorrow, as the Vees (3-0-0-0) pay a visit to the Warriors (3-0-0-0) at Royal LePage Place; puck drop 7:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Bounce 800 AM and watch on Hockey TV.