Submitted by Fraser Rodgers
Coming into Tuesday’s first-place showdown with the West Kelowna Warriors, the Penticton Vees had only scored five goals in three games.
It took them just over a period to match that output, netting a 6-3 win over the Warriors at Royal LePage Place. The win gives the Vees the outright lead in the Interior Division, as they move two points ahead of West Kelowna and win the seven-game season series.
After Adam Osczevski put the Warriors up 1-0 in the first, the Vees offense came alive in the second, scoring three unanswered goals from Max Coatta completing a give-and-go between he and Ben Dalpe. Coatta wired a wrist-shot from the right side of the slot over Andy Desautels’ glove. Nic Pierog made it 2-1 as he tucked a wrist-shot up and underneath the cross-bar for his 29th of the season. Riley Alferd tallied the final goal of the frame. Alferd showed off his hand-eye coordination when he batted the puck out of midair in the Warriors crease. The goal was Alferd's sixth of the year.
In the third period, the Vees extended their cushion to 5-1 on goals by Alexandre Coulombe and Pierog, with his second goal.
Penalty trouble helped the Warriors close the gap on goals by Carl Hesler and Seb Lloyd.
McClure sealed the game shortly after Lloyd's goal with an empty-net tally.
On special teams, the Vees went 1-for-3 on the power play, while the Warriors were 2-for-4. Olivier Mantha made 37 saves for the win, while Desautels finished with 21 saves.
The Vees host the Trail Smoke Eaters at the South Okanagan Events Centre Friday at 7 p.m. Check Friday's edition of the Western News for more coverage.