Powerplay hot in Vees win

Three goals from the Penticton Vees’ power play line pushed the team to a 5-3 win over the Powell River Kings Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Eric Linell opened the scoring just 1:27 into the game with a deflection of a James Miller slap shot from the blue line. The goal was on the power play after Ethan Martini was called for boarding just 14 seconds after puck drop.

The game went into the second period 2-2 following goals from Miller for the Vees and Ryan Brushett and Levi Glasman for the Kings.

Luke Loheit restored the Vees lead when he batted a rebound out of mid air 3:26 into the second period.

Kings goalie Mitch Adamyk put on a clinic in the middle frame, turning aside multiple quality scoring chances to keep the Powell River  within reach. It paid off as Ethan Schmunk tied the game 10:35 into the second, stuffing a puck past an outstretched Derek Krall on the goal line.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as Loheit went end to end, racing through the neutral zone and around a defender before sliding the puck through the five hole of Adamyk with 4:49 remaining.

Penticton finally got that elusive two-goal lead in the third when Linell scored nearly a carbon copy of his first goal, deflecting a Miller shot from the line while on the power play just 48 seconds into the final period.

The goal would be the final one scored in the game as the Vees went 3-for-8 on the man advantage, holding Powell River to just 10 shots over the final 40 minutes.

"The biggest thing for us, I think last Friday we talked about our power play cost us the game, and I think tonight it won us the game," Vees head coach Fred Harbinson said. "Getting that first power play goal got our confidence going for sure."

Penticton is now set to host the hottest team in the BCHL, the Nanaimo Clippers, to the SOEC Saturday night. With their overtime win in Trail on Friday, the Clippers have won 10 straight games.

Announced attendance Friday was 2,924.