Penticton Vees on the verge of another Interior Conference title

Photo: Wayne Moore

The Penticton Vees are one win away from another trip to the BC Hockey League final.

The Vees continued to suffocate the West Kelowna Warriors defensively while getting timely goals at the other end of the rink.

Luc Wilson scored a pair of power play goals and Beanie Richter scored twice at even strength leading the Vees to a 5-2 victory over the Warriors Monday at Royal LePage Place, and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Interior Conference final.

The Vees flipped the script somewhat Monday, taking advantage of some breaks in the first period rather than the second as was the case in the first two games.

Penticton wasted little time getting their fans into it. Braden Doyle intercepted a clearing attempt at the blueline, and started a pretty three-way passing play converted by Josh Nadeau just 55 seconds into the game.

The goal stood up until Wilson took advantage of a fortunate bounce inside the Warriors end. A clearing attempt around the glass on a penalty kill hit something and fell behind the Warrior defenders.

Wilson found it and drove to the net. Surprise starter Justin Katz made the initial stop, but Wilson lifted the rebound over the fallen netminder to double the lead.

"He's beat them before, he's beaten all the top teams in the league," said Ferguson of his decision to give Katz his first career BCHL playoff start.

"He's a good goalie and we knew we'd probably have to use both goalies.

"Unfortunate for him he got some ugly bounces."

It went from ugly to head scratching for the Warriors minutes later when Richter beat a surprised Katz with a shot from the slot on a play the Warriors and most in the building believed should have been whistled down for icing.

The officials ruled the Warriors did not win the race to the puck when it clearly looked as if they had. Despite their protests, the goal stood.

"I've had lots of conversations about that. With some linesmen you get on a rim as long as you get to the dots you're good, and some if it's a rim and you get to the dots it's still a race to the puck.

"I don't know.

Down 4-0 late in the third, the Warriors finally found some offence.

John Evans, who scored the lone goal for the Warriors in the series, a shorthanded goal back in game one, spoiled Kaeden Lane's shutout bid from the right circle.

The goal ended Lane's consecutive minute shutout streak at 144 minutes and 36 seconds.

With time running out, Marcus Joughin beat Lane from the right boards.

As they did in the opening two games, the Vees were able to effectively shut down the Warriors offence once they took the lead.

"I think for us, when you get down you tend to squeeze your stick and do it yourself, and not using the team. You saw at the end we start moving the puck around and we get two goals.

"It's a simple game, it hasn't changed. You make simple plays, work as a team and you get success."

The Warriors were without forward Tyler Cristall who was slapped with a three game suspension when his blow to the head minor was increased to a major.

The league will likely look at a blow to the head penalty assessed to Warriors defenceman Charles-Alexis Legault late in the game.

Warriors assistant coach Ayrton Nikkel was also ejected at the end of the second period.

The Warriors will try to extend the series when they host the Vees in game four of the series Wednesday night.