Vees win eighth straight

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

Make it eight in a row and counting for the Penticton Vees.

The Vees scored twice with the man advantage in a 3-1 win over the Langley Rivermen at the SOEC.

Grant Cruikshank, Taylor Ward and Jonny Tychonick all scored for the Vees, while Mat Robson stopped 21 of 22 shots directed his way.

Trevor Ayre replied for the Rivermen.

Penticton pressured an undermanned Rivermen early and often, but had trouble cracking the armour of netminder Bo Didur. Midway through the opening period, the Vees finally capitalized.

Cruikshank took the puck away from the Langley defenceman at the blue-line, before breaking in alone on goal. On his backhand, he tucked the puck around a sprawled Didur at 10:18 for his team-leading ninth.

Despite firing 18-shots on net in the first period, the Vees took a one-goal lead into the intermission.

Penticton continued to pressure in the second, but Didur stood tall, time and again, keeping the Rivermen within striking distance.

Ayre tied things up for the Rivermen late in the second, with just over three minutes left. The Langley forward navigated his way into the face-off circle, before beating Robson five-hole at 16:55.

It took until the four-minute mark of third period for the Vees to get their first power-play, but they made the most of the opportunity as their man advantage was winding down.

Ty Barnstable centered to Taylor Ward at the back-post, and he got enough of his shot to get it up and over the pad of Didur five and a half minutes in. Ward’s third of the season turned out to be the game-winner.

The Vees are now 10-1 on the season and 3-0 at home.

The two teams conclude a home-and-home series Friday in Langley.