Mike Rebry scored twice for the second straight game and the Vees rode a strong special teams performance, in a 4-2 win over the Vernon Vipers Friday. The win is the Vees fifth in a row and sixth in their last seven games.
Rebry scored both a power-play and a short-handed goal in the win. Rebry wasn’t the only Vees to score a pair, as Wade Murphy notched his fourth and fifth goals on the season.
However it was the Vipers scoring first in the opening period, as Adam Tambellini broke in on a breakaway and slid a back-hand deke through Chad Katunar’s legs at 15:20; Tambellini was sprung on the breakaway after the puck deflected off a Vees stick in the neutral zone.
Penticton drew even in the final moments of the period on their opening power-play of the game. With under a minute left in the frame, Rebry scored his first of two on a rebound out in front of the Vernon net. Rebry’s original shot was blocked but he swept his own rebound under Austin Smith at 19:17.
Wade Murphy put the Vees ahead in the second period with his first on the night. Murphy grabbed the puck at the Vipers blue-line and worked his way to the top of the right-circle; his shot zipped over the blocker of Smith at 4:23.
The Vees added to their lead near the midway mark of the third period. During a Vipers power-play, Rebry intercepted a pass at his own blue-line, and raced down the right-wing. Rebry pulled up in the right-circle and snapped a shot through the legs of Smith at 8:35.
The Vipers didn’t take long to cut into the Vees lead and make it a one-goal game. Aaron Hadley shoveled in a loose puck at 11:42, after Katunar miss-played the puck on a clearing attempt.
However, the Vees did restore their two goal lead on a late power-play in the period. Murphy scored his second of the game on a rebound at the side of the Vipers net at 18:20; sealing the Vees fifth straight win and third straight at home.
FINAL SCORE:4-2 Vees
Shots: 31-29 Vees
Power-Plays: Vees 2 for 5 Vipers 0 for 4
Three Stars: 1) Mike Rebry 2) Adam Tambellini 3) Chad Katunar
Attendance: 1,675
Vees Notes:
In all, four Vees recorded two or more points; Sam Mellor led all scorers with three assists. Mike Rebry now has back-to-back two-goal games; two short-handed goals in as many games as well. The two power-play goals extend the Vees streak to five straight games with at least one power-play marker. Chad Katunar made 27 saves for his eighth win in as many starts. The win moves the Vees home record to a perfect 3-0-0 and have now won both meetings against the Vipers this season.
The Vees conclude their home stand Saturday at 5 p.m. versus the Trail Smoke Eaters; face-off is 5 p.m. Fans have a chance to win a free Ham or Turkey in time for Thanksgiving, with Market Place IGA’s paper-plate toss during the first intermission. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office at the SOEC, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com