Little time was wasted in putting a 3-2 loss to the Merritt Centennials behind the Penticton Vees.
Wade Murphy scored two first period goals, including a short-handed tally, as the Vees rolled over the Cowichan Valley Capitals 7-1 Sunday afternoon.
Murphy and Brad McClure led the Vees in scoring as they finished with three points. Eleven different Vees picked up at least a single point and seven finished with two or more.
Murphy got things rolling four and a half minutes into the first period when he converted a Jedd Soleway feed from the left-corner. Murphy beat Patrick Spano for his 21st. He bagged his second five-minutes later with the Vees shorthanded as he slid a backhand through the legs of Spano.
Ryan Gropp added to the lead in the opening minutes of the second as he pounced on a puck in the slot that hit the middle bar. Originally waved off, the three officials talked at centre ice and decided the goal would count.
James Waddington spoiled Nic Renyard’s shutout bid in the second when he converted on a scramble at the Vees crease. Waddington fished out the puck and put a shot over the glove of Nic Renyard. The goal did little to slow the Vees down, as they restored their four-goal lead just over a minute later. Soleway scored a tap-in on the power play just before the eight-minute mark. John Siemer found Soleway at the top of the crease from the corner and tapped it in for his 18th goal.
The Vees scored three more goals in the third period to put the game out of reach. McClure jammed a puck past Spano after taking a pass from behind the net. It was his team-leading 25th and first since Feb. 2. Also scoring for the Vees was Bryan Sinz and Travis Blanleil.