Tyson Jost rises to the occasion at the Bauer BCHL Showcase.
For the second straight year and against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Jost has popped a hat-trick. The efforts by the Vees' captain lifted his team to a 4-1 win in Chilliwack and gives them four straight wins. Defenceman Gabe Bast scored the other Vees goal and Scott Conway collect three assists, all on Jost's goals. Goalie Anthony Brodeur is now 3-0 as he stopped 27 shots in the win.
Jost gave the Vees a 1-0 lead at 17:38 of the first period on a backhand that beat Chris Tai. In the second period, eight minutes in, Jost spun away from his check and snuck a light shot past Tai's glove side.
The Bulldogs cut into the Vees' lead less than two minutes after that as Nathan Dingmann parked himself in front of Brodeur and redirected the puck between his legs past Brodeur.
In the third period the Vees secured the win when Taylor Ward found Gabe Bast with a long pass and he beat Tai for his first of the season. Jost's third goal was scored into an empty net.
The Vees went one-for-three on the power-play, while killing of all six of their penalty kills.
With the win, the Vees as a franchise are 7-0-0 at the Showcase dating back to the 2012-2013 season.
The Vees (4-1-0-0) face the Chilliwack Chiefs (1-2-1-0) in the night cap of Day 2 of the Showcase at 7:30 pm today. The Chiefs didn’t play Thursday and are coming off a 4-4 tie in Salmon Arm last Sunday. Fans can listen on EZ Rock AM 800 or watch online at www.fasthockey.com
Prior to the game, the Merritt Centennials announced on their Twitter account that they had acquired the Canadian Junior Hockey League playing rights to Vees defenceman Tyler Holtz. The Vees dealt the Osoyoos product for future considerations, as per the BCHL transactions wire.