After taking home two trophies in the last two weeks, the most recent being the Ron Boileau Memorial Trophy on Friday night with a 13-1 shellacking against the Merritt Centennials, the Penticton Vees had their eighth straight win on Saturday.
The Vees held a 7-2 victory against the ailing Trail Smoke Eaters on Saturday at Cominco Arena.
The Vees (43-3-0-1) erased an early 2-0 deficit to sweep the five-game season series against the Smoke Eaters.
Josh Nadeau and Dovar Tinling each had three-point nights. Aydar Suniev followed up his hat-trick on Friday against Merritt with a two-goal outing in Trail.
Luca Di Pasquo earned win number 31 as he stopped 19 of 21 shots in the Vees’ crease. Saturday was his 11th straight appearance where he surrendered two or fewer goals against.
It was a scrappy effort off the start from a shorthanded Trail squad that was missing seven regulars due to injury or illness. Brady Hunter and Max Potvin scored in the first eight minutes to put the home side up 2-0.
Penticton responded with goals from Jackson Nieuwendyk (20) and Josh Nadeau (35) in the back half of the first period, as the two teams were tied 2-2 after 20 minutes.
Josh Niedermayer (4) scored 11 seconds into the second period to grab the Vees their first lead of the game and they never looked back. Suniev (36) added a power play marker midway through the second, as Penticton led by two after two.
The Vees fired 30 shots at the Trail net just in the middle frame alone, which is a new season high. Their previous mark for most shots in the middle frame was 26, set back on October 7th, versus Merritt.
Tinling (13) added to the Vees’ lead not even two minutes into the third period, as he scored at the top of the crease to make it 5-2. Then it was Bradly Nadeau (37) who finished off a great passing play between he and brother Josh 12 minutes into the third that stretched Penticton’s led to 6-2. Suniev (37) rounded out the scoring with his second of the night with just over three minutes left in regulation that made it 7-2.
READ MORE: Penticton Vees clinch Ron Boileau Trophy, defeat Merritt Centennials 13-1
GAME NOTES
The Vees 65 shots is a new season high, beating out their previous best of 60, which was set on Friday night in Merritt.
Next Game is Feed the Valley night on Friday, March 10 versus Langley at 7 p.m.
Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the game, with donations set to go to the Penticton Salvation Army food bank.
READ MORE: ‘Feed the Valley’: Penticton Vees invite fans to tackle hunger
