QUESNEL, BC – Trailing by a goal with 16 seconds remaining in the third, a timeout by Penticton Vees coach Fred Harbinson couldn’t have come at a better time.
While the Vees never had a lead against the Quesnel Millionaires through most of Game 3, they picked the perfect moment to set it up. With their cage empty, Kyle Mountain won a draw back to Joey Laleggia, whose point shot was stopped, but Logan Johnston was there to jam in the rebound and silence a crowd of 365 fans in the Twin Arenas, tying the game with just eleven seconds to play.
In overtime, Joey Holka made a stunning play to win the game as he split a pair of defenders and scored the game-winner from his belly – sending the Vees bench into an eruption of cheers as the club took a three-game lead in the series.
After Quesnel opened the scoring on a goal by Penticton’s Chris Kerr in the first period, James Polk scored his third of the post-season in the second period and Joey Benik tallied the other Vees goal.
Monday was an eventful day for the Vees - who left Penticton at 8:30 AM, hit a ditch on the Coquihalla amid a snow storm, switched busses in Kamloops, and made it to Quesnel for a delayed 7:30 start to Game 3.
The Vees play Game 4 tonight at 7 p.m. at the Twin Arenas in Quesnel. If necessary, Game 5 would be played on Thursday at the SOEC. Game 6 would be back in Quesnel on Friday, and a Game 7 would run Saturday back in Penticton. You can purchase Vees game tickets at the S.O.E.C. box office, at ValleyFirstTix.com.