Two goals in the opening three minutes of the third period pushed the Penticton Vees past the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 5-1 Friday night in the South Okanagan Events Centre.
"It's a big rebound game. We worked hard," said Vees forward Cam Amantea who made his season debut after missing the first four games because of off-season shoulder surgery. "We really showed it tonight. The fans (announced crowd of 2,509) played a big part."
On a play started by Steen Cooper in the second period, Joshua Laframboise fed Patrick Newell, who skated into the Silverbacks zone and cut to the middle. While his first shot attempt was blocked, Newell got the puck back and scored the winner at 13:35 when his backhand went over Angus Redmond, who dove forward trying to make the save. Redmond finished with 27 saves.
In the third period, Laframboise, Demico Hannoun and Cooper scored.
The Silverbacks opened the scoring after Vees goalie Hunter Miska mishandled the puck near the corner with his defenceman coming in to support. Nick Hutchison ended up with the puck and deposited it into the empty net. That was Miska's lone blemish as he made a few big saves for his team in the first period and 25 on the night.
Vees rookie defenceman Dante Fabbro evened the score at one on the power play for his first BCHL goal. Cody DePourcq handed the puck over to Tyson Jost who found Fabbro at the blue line where he fired a cannon shot Redmond couldn't handle.
"Fabbro had an awesome goal on the power play," said Amantea, adding that Fabbro is capable of quarterbacking a power play. "He has a hard shot. He is good at picking corners from up top."
After going 0-for-8 in their last two games, the Vees' power play struck twice on four chances. Salmon Arm got one power play chance but couldn't convert.
Both teams will face each other again Saturday in Salmon Arm.
Below, Mark Donnelly, also known as Mr. Oh Canada, loses an edge while singing the national anthem.
