Skip to content

Vees motivated by absence of Louie Nanne for win

Penticton Vees earn win against SilverBacks for missing teammate Louie Nanne

The Penticton Vees collected two points as they shutout the Salmon Arm SilverBacks 5-0.

The points proved significant for the Vees as several wrote on Twitter that they were thinking of teammate Louie Nanne, who is away for personal reasons.

Vees captain Troy Stecher posted: “Thinking of @lounanne11! The boys did for you and you uncle. #BrotherHood #TwoPoints.”

Nanne himself posted: “Congrats to the boys back home, wish I coulda been there to take #4 with you. Keep on Rollin into tomorrow (Saturday). Cya soon enough!@PentictonVees.

Also without Wade Murphy, who is serving a two-game suspension for a dangerous hit, Sam Mellor potted the winner 5:05 into the first period. Alex Jewel then made it 2-0. In the final half of the second period, Jordan McCallum scored his first BCHL goal to make it 3-0.  Helping put the game out of reach was Michael Rebry scoring on the power-play and Ryan Gropp. The Vees outshot the SilverBacks in the Shaw Centre and goalie Chad Katunar, named the game’s second star, made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season.

The Vees head to West Kelowna today to take on the Warriors. The last time the teams met at Royal LePage Place, the Vees left with a 4-3 overtime win. It will be the second time that Travis Blanleil, a Kelowna native, faces his former team.