Vees win ugly one vs. Cents

Photo: Caitlin Peck Photography

A pair of third-period goals from captain Owen Sillinger lifted the Penticton Vees to a 4-1 win over the Merritt Centennials on Friday, in a game that got feisty late at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

There was no sign of bus legs from the Vees, after spending all of Thursday night travelling back to town following a win in Prince George. 

Penticton outshot Merritt 11-6 in the opening period, and held a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal from Jonny Tychonick.

Zach Court scored for the Cents just as a powerplay expired, midway through the second, to knot the game at one.

That score would remain until early in the third period, when Sillinger scored his first of two, which was the eventual game-winner. 

Ugliness began just over a minute later, which would dominate the tone of the third period. 

Vees forward Ocean Weisblatt was hit up high by Cents defender Mattias Dal Monte and remained on the ice for several moments. Dal Monte received a two-minute minor and a misconduct, while Weisblatt didn't return to the game.

A few minutes later, Cassidy Bowes — who returned on Thursday from an upper-body injury — collided with a Cents player in neutral ice well away from the play. No penalty was called and boos rained from the crowd while Vees head coach Fred Harbinson was irate. Fortunately for the home team, Bowes didn't miss a shift.

Shortly after that instance, Sillinger rifled his second goal of the period to stretch the home team's lead to 3-1.

Just 15 seconds later, a line brawl broke out when Vees forward Dakota Boutin was hammered at centre ice by a Cents' player he didn't see coming — the third play that made for a loudly upset crowd in the period.

Boutin was helped off the ice and didn't return, and the Cents wound up with a two-minute powerplay when the dust cleared.

Physical play was prevalent for the remainder of the game after that point, and the score would remain 3-1 until Chris Klack hit an empty net for the Vees with 12 seconds left.

Sillinger was named the game's first star with his two goals, while Wyatt Sloboshan was number two with three assists, and Jordan Henderson was third star with two assists.

Tychonick also had two points, and now has eight in his past three games. In goal, Nolan Hildebrand stopped 27 shots to earn the win.

Massimo Rizzo was absent from the lineup due to illness, while Nick Leivermann, Michael Campoli and Taylor Ward remained out with injuries, as well as Grant Cruikshank and Ryan O'Connell who are lost for the season.

For the banged-up Vees, the win was their fifth in five meetings against the Cents this season, as Penticton now has six wins and one tie to begin 2018.

A busy weekend wraps up at home when the Vees host the Trail Smoke Eaters on Saturday. The two teams played to a 2-2 tie at the SOEC eight nights ago.

Saturday's game is also 'Pink in the Rink' night for the Vees, in support of anti-bullying. The team is expecting close to a sell out crowd for the 6 p.m. puck drop.