The defending national champion Penticton Vees concluded their exhibition season with a 4-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild at the South Okanagan Events Centre Saturday night.

 

The Vees open the BCHL regular season Friday in Chilliwack at the BCHL Showcase tournament.

The Vees opened the scoring on a goal by Wade Murphy at 7:14. Murphy took a pass from Rob Mann before wiring a wrist-shot under the arm of Wild netminder Evan McCarthy.

The Vees scored the only goal of the second when newcomer Evan Anderson stripped a Wild forward of the puck at the blue-line, then finished the play with a nifty back-hand move at 18:38.

Cody DePourcq increased the lead to three early in the third period after he wired a one-timer over the glove of Julian DeFilippo at 5:08. Mike Rebry and Brad McClure started the play with sustained pressure below the goal-line.

Wenatchee’s Nathan Flynn spoiled Chad Katunar’s shutout bid with a goal at 6:30 of the third.

Flynn took a feed from behind the net and zipped a shot over Katunar's shoulder for the Wild’s only goal.

Mike Rebry sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:21 coming off a turnover on the boards inside the Wild zone.

Both teams would go 0 for 6 on the Powerplay.

The Vees next action is Friday, September 7, when the face the Chilliwack Chiefs in their BCHL opener at the Showcase tournament.

The Vees home opener is September 29th against the Powell River Kings. 

--with files from Fraser Rodgers