Submitted by Fraser Rodgers
Taylor Ward was the latest to dig deep into the Penticton Vees’ bag of tricks. Ward’s goal a minute and a half into overtime lifted the Vees to a 3-2 win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Off a faceoff in the Salmon Arm end, Ward walked the goal line and snuck a shot through Nic Tallarico’s legs at the post as the Vees’ picked up their fifth straight win in their final home game before the Christmas break.
Jared Nash and Nicholas Jones scored in the second period for the Vees, who led 2-0 up until the final five minutes of regulation. Mat Robson, who would have wanted a mulligan on the first goal against, picked up his 23rd win stopping 25 of 27 shots.
Salmon Arm’s Elijiah Barriga and Justin Wilson scored less than two-minutes apart to secure a point. Tallarico turned aside 20 of 23 shots, as he suffered his first loss to this season and first against the Vees.
Nash broke the scoreless dead lock in the second period, when he tipped-in Joe Leahy’s point shot at 7:05. Nash reached out and redirected the puck underneath Tallarico’s blocker, for his first goal since Oct.12. Jones doubled the lead five and a half minutes later, scoring on a cross-ice feed from Chris Klack. From just off the goal line, Jones hammered the puck into an open net at 12:31.
Robson got his redemption early in the extra frame when he stopped Carson Bolduc on a partial break. Shortly after the opening face off, Bolduc flew down the right wing before trying to jam the puck in-close but Robson quickly got his pad out to keep the Vees alive.
Penticton didn’t squander their second chance, as Ward put on the hero’s cape and scored at 1:31. Nash picked up the only assist on the OT-goal for his second point.
Power-Plays: Vees 0-3 Silverbacks 0-2
Three Stars: 1) Taylor Ward 2) Chris Klack 3) Jared Nash
Attendance: 2,555
Vees Notes: The win improves the Vees’ OT record to 8-1-0, as they’ve now played more OT games this season, than they did all of last year. The win also improves their record to 28-5-0-1, and they’re now 14-2-0-1 against the Interior Division; 2-0-0-1 against Salmon Arm. Grant Cruikshank had his four-game goal streak and five-game point streak come to an end.
Video courtesy of Jayson Moonie.