Penalty problems hurt the Penticton peewee Tier 3 Vees in a 7-3 loss to Salmon Arm last weekend.
Vees assistant coach Justin Giroux, who filled in for coach Imre Togyi, said penalties were the common theme for the weekend. On Jan. 18, the Vees lost 6-3 to West Kelowna at Memorial Arena and served 20 minutes in penalties compared to West Kelowna’s 14.
“I think we came out pretty good. We were all over them the first nine minutes or so,” said Giroux. “They called a time out to slow things down. We kept coming at them. They caught one lucky break.”
Giroux said his team received strong goaltending and praised his players for sticking to their system and getting pucks deep.
“Our power play breakout was better,” he said. “Players are starting to generate more offence, sticking to the system and putting the puck in deep Our forwards are doing a great job of going and getting it. Doing a good job of utilizing our defenceman as well, getting shots and going to the net.”
Scoring for the Vees was Linden Sproule, Jaymie Carey and Ethan O’Rourke.
Against West Kelowna, Sproule and O’Rourke scored, while affiliate player Brennan Nelson also scored.
With the playoffs on the horizon, the Vees coaching staff is hoping to gain momentum in their final league game as they travel to Merritt on Saturday.
In other minor hockey action, the Sherwood Trophies peewee AAA Vees were in Trail for a tournament last weekend. They defeated the Spokane Chiefs 12-6. Cam Davie and Kieran Mielke each scored hat tricks, while Brenden Patton and Nolan Walton had two-goal efforts. Matthew Rempe and Carson Shortreed scored the other goals. In a 5-5 final against Kelowna, Walton, Rempe, Patton, Davie and Shortreed scored. The Vees then lost a close and exciting tilt against West Kelowna, 5-3. Davie scored twice with Rempe scoring the other goal. Shortreed and Walton collected assists. The Vees lost the final game 3-2 in a five-man shootout. Mielke scored both goals on setups by Davie and Xavier Roepcke.
Kaleb McEachern and Caleb Rousseau were outstanding in net for the Vees.
In midget Tier 2, the Vees lost to West Kelowna 5-3 on Jan.17, then were shutout 5-0 by Kelowna on Jan. 18, both games at Memorial Arena.
The bantam Tier 2 Vees cruised past Kelowna 8-3 on Jan. 16 at Memorial Arena. The bantam Tier 3 Vees were edged 4-3 by South Okanagan in Memorial Arena.
In the Okanagan Mainland Amateur Hockey Association recreation atom development division, Penticton and Greater Vernon settled for a 2-2 final on Jan. 18. South Okanagan defeated Penticton 6-2 in atom development 2 in Oliver Jan. 19.
In South Central atom, Penticton 1 won 12-4 over West Kelowna 4 at Jim Lind Arena, while Penticton 4 defeated Summerland 2-1 on the road on Jan. 18. Penticton 3 earned a 10-1 win over South Okanagan in Osoyoos Jan. 19.
In bantam division action, Penticton 1 defeated Penticton 2, 4-2 at McLaren Arena on Jan. 17, while Penticton 3 picked up a 2-1 win over Summerland at McLaren Arena on Jan. 18. Penticton 2 earned a 6-0 shutout over South Okanagan 3 at Memorial Arena on Jan. 19, while Penticton 3 defeated Penticton 1, 5-2 at McLaren Arena.
In midget league action, Penticton 2 defeated Penticton 3, 5-3 at McLaren Arena on Jan.17. Penticton 2 and Summerland 1 settled for a 5-5 final in Summerland on Jan. 19.
In peewee female action, Penticton whipped Chase 11-0 at Memorial Arena on Jan. 19.
Penticton Minor Hockey Association is hosting a Peewee Rec Tournament this weekend.
Teams playing are the Penticton 1 Game Time Raptors, Penticton Ducks, Kelowna 4 Stars, South Delta Thrashers, Vernon 1 Thunderbirds, Vernon Raptors, Langley Rebels, Semiahmoo Grinders, Kelowna 6 Canucks, Aldergrove Nighthawks, Castlegar Ice Dawgs and Cloverdale Bandits.
The tournament starts Friday at 3:30 in the South Okanagan Events Centre with the Raptors and Stars.