Game Recap: Vees doubled up Oilers, up 3-0 in series
Photo: Chris Goddard
Okotoks, AB – The Penticton Vees are one win away from advancing to the second round of the BCHL Playoffs after their 6-3 win over the Okotoks Oilers, Tuesday night at Viking Rentals Centre.
The Vees now lead the best-of-seven series 3-0, with Game Four Wednesday night in Southern Alberta.
Local product Max Heise had a big night, as he finished with a game high four points (1G, 3A). The Calgary, AB, native opened the scoring in the first and was named the first star.
Louie Wehmann, Caton Ryan, Simon Meier, Luke Posthumus, and Matthew Biotti also scored for Penticton. Ben Merrill had two assists in the win.
Will Ingemann picked up his second win of the series, as he stopped 17 of 20 shots. Ingemann conceded his first goal of the series late in the second, as the Vees’ shutout streak to start the series ended at just under 137 minutes.
Special teams played a big factor in the win, as the Vees’ power play went three-for-five, and the penalty kill was a perfect three-for-three.
Max Heise makes no mistake going five hole from the right circle to give Penticton a 1-0 lead! @Fraser_Vees | @PentictonVees pic.twitter.com/IOwV9a1eHk
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) April 9, 2025
It was fast start for Penticton as they scored twice in the first five minutes of the game to go up 2-0. Heise opened the scoring at 3:52 with his second of the series. Then, Wehmann made it 2-0 at 5:03, with his first career playoff goal. The Vees dominated the first period, outshooting the Oilers 17-4.
The Oilers ran into penalty trouble in the second and Penticton made them pay. First, Caton Ryan scored his first of the postseason on a five-on-three power play at 11:30, which made it 3-0. Penticton were on a five-minute power play when Simon Meier scored at 14:15 after his pass banked in off an Oilers’ defenceman, that put Penticton ahead 4-0.
Okotoks showed some life late in the second, as Jackson Rowland and Michael Kowalski scored 82 seconds part to cut the Vees’ lead to 4-2. First, Rowland scored the Oilers’ first goal of the series at 16:40 of the middle frame, then Kowalski scored at 18:02 to cut the Vees lead down to 4-2.
The Vees regrouped in the third, as Posthumus scored the Vees’ third power play goal in the game at 15:57, which put Penticton ahead 5-2, but that three-goal lead lasted all of 15 seconds.
On the very next shift, the Oilers’ Kowalski scored his second of game, tipping in a pass out of the corner that made it 5-3, as the Vees’ lead was back down to two.
Defenceman Matthew Biotti put the game out of reach with an empty-net goal with just under a minute and a half to go in regulation.
GAME STATS
Shots: Vees- 37 Oilers-20
Scoring: Max Heise, Louie Wehmann, Caton Ryan, Simon Meier, Luke Posthumus, Matthew Biotti
Goaltending: Will Ingemann (W)- 60:00, 17/20
Vees Power Play: 3/5
Vees Penalty Kill: 3/3
Three Stars:
1) Max Heise 1G, 3A)
2) Luke Posthumus (1G)
3) Michael Kowalski (2G)
Next Game: Wednesday, April 9th, at Okotoks Oilers, 6:00 pm PDT