Vees down 2-0 with loss

Photo: Contributed

The Penticton Vees are down 2-0 in the BCHL's Fred Page Cup final after Saturday night's 2-1 overtime loss to the Nanaimo Clippers.

Clippers forward Brett Roulston buried his sixth of the playoffs 20 seconds into OT, sending Nanaimo home with a commanding series lead.

Off the opening face-off in OT, Roulston took a pass from Nicolas Carrier and got in behind the Vees defence, before firing a bullet up high over Hunter Miska’s shoulder on the near-side.

Sheldon Rempal scored for the Clippers in regulation, scoring the game-tying goal in the first period, and Guillaume Decelles turned aside 37 of 38 Penticton shots.

The Vees got off to a strong start, with 20 shots in the first period, but Cody DePourcq was the only Vee to get a puck past Decelles, scoring on the power-play midway through the first. 

Penticton had a couple good looks in the second and third periods, but couldn’t cash-in.

Pat Newell maybe had the best chance of the night to break the stalemate, as he was sprung on a partial breakaway. Demico Hannoun chipped the puck ahead and Newell got around a flat-footed defender, before breaking in alone, but he couldn’t tuck his backhand attempt through the wickets of Decelles.  

DePourcq left the game early in the third after taking a Nanaimo shot to the face; he’ll be re-evaluated today, ahead of game three on Monday.

The series now shifts to Nanaimo for games three and four.