Game Recap: Vees take Game Three in Salmon Arm, lead series 2-1
[Photo: Chris Fowler / Salmon Arm Silverbacks]
SALMON ARM, B.C. – The Penticton Vees picked up a big road win Monday night, winning 4-1 over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in Game Three of the Interior Conference Final.
The Vees now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1, with Game Four Wednesday night at the Shaw Centre.
Tied 1-1 in the third, Callum Arnott scored the game-winner midway through the final frame, as his sixth of the playoffs made it 2-1 at 10:05. Arnott’s goal came off a great pass out of the corner by Thomas Pichette, who found Arnott alone at the top of the crease.
Connor MacPherson gave the Vees some breathing room two and a half minutes later, as he added an insurance marker at 12:33 that made it 3-1. MacPherson tipped in Larry Keenan’s point shot for his fifth of the postseason.
“It was a huge win. They grabbed the first one in our home rink, so coming into this game we wanted to take it [home ice] back. We had our struggles here in the regular season, so this felt great,” said MacPherson.
Billy Renfrew put the game away with an empty net goal with 54 seconds left in regulation.
“Tonight’s win speaks to the maturity of our group. We’ve talked all year about the maturation process with only two returnees. The guys stepped up in a challenging environment. We don’t get phased by a whole lot,” said Assistant Coach Matthew Vanden Berg post-game.
Salmon Arm opened the scoring back in the first period, as Cole Cooksey put the home team ahead six and half minutes into the game. Cooksey took the puck away at the Vees blue line and skated in alone and scored on a deke past Will Ingemann 6:32.
The Vees responded quickly, as Cade Littler tied it 1-1 just under two minutes later. Littler picked up his first goal of the BCHL Playoffs after he buried a rebound in front of the Silverbacks’ net. Matthew Biotti had his point shot stopped but the rebound kicked out to Littler who jammed it in. Littler’s first point in eight playoff games.
Penticton had a great start, as they outshot Salmon Arm 17-7 in the first period, but the two teams were tied 1-1 after 20 minutes.
There was no scoring in the second period, but the Vees had two great chances to break the 1-1 deadlock. Simon Meier hit the cross bar after a two-on-one rush with Zack Stringer. Before he scored in the third, Connor MacPherson almost gave the Vees the lead in the middle frame. James Fisher rushed down the right wing and found MacPherson in front, but his quick shot was squeezed by the pads of Eli Pulver.
Will Ingemann picked up where he left off in Game Two. Monday, Ingemann stopped 28 of 29 shots, including the final 22 shots he faced over the final two periods. Ingemann was the second star. Ingemann is now 7-0 in the postseason with a 1.00 goals-against and .952 SV%.
There was only one power play handed out in. Game Three and that went to Salmon Arm early in the third period. The Vees’ penalty kill, which is ranked second in the BCHL Playoffs, came up clutch and kept Salmon Arm off the scoreboard. Penticton has not allowed a power play goal since the first round against Prince George.
GAME STATS
Shots: 38-29 Vees
Vees Scoring: C. Littler (1), C. Arnott (6), C. MacPherson (5), B. Renfrew (3)
Vees Goaltending: Will Ingemann 60:00 28/29 (W)
Power-Plays:
Vees: 0/0
Silverbacks: 0/1
Three Stars:
1) Callum Arnott
2) Will Ingemann
3) Cole Cooksey (SA)
Next Game: The Vees look for a 3-1 series lead in Game Four on Wednesday, May 8th, at the Shaw Centre in Salmon Arm; puck drop 6:00 pm. Fans can listen to the game on Bounce 800, or they can watch on Flo Hockey TV.