Submitted by Fraser Rodgers
Grant Cruikshank scored the winner with his 26th goal of the season, while Nicholas Jones continues to burn the West Kelowna Warriors as the Penticton Vees earned a 4-2 win over the West Kelowna Warriors.
Jones snapped his 18th goal of the season by Gabriel Morency’s glove and added an assist to earn the first star as the Vees improved their record to 32-9-0-1 and are 5-0-0 against the Warriors this season. Of Jones’ 18 goals, eight have come against the Warriors.
Emotions boiled over midway through the third period with the Vees leading 4-2 after Ryley Risling was handed a five-minute major penalty after a hit on the Warriors’ Peter Tomaras. Nick Rutigliano wrestled with Risling, with the Vees forward scoring a quick takedown. Then, Kenny Johnson and Scott Allen dropped the gloves with Johnson earning the decision and pin. Tempers spiked again with just over a minute left, when Jones and Connor Sodergren got tangled up at the Warriors blueline, which also featured Taylor Sanheim and Braiden Epp getting in the mix. Jones picked up a slashing penalty and Sanheim, Sodergren and Epp all were hit with misconducts; Epp threw his helmet at the feet of Jones before skating off. After the dust settled, Risling, Johnson, Allan and Rutigliano all were given an early exit.
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Trailing 2-1 after two periods, the Warriors got the equalizer by Chase Stevenson just over a minute into the third. Stevenson beat Vees goalie Mat Robson over his shoulder after taking a feed from Quin Foreman from behind the net. Robson made 26 saves for his 27th win. Cruikshank netted the winner at 4:17 after beating a Warrior to the puck and sliding it through Morency’s five-hole.
Chris Klack scored his 11th of the season for the Vees after Jones and Jonny Tychonick set him up on the power play, which went two-for-four.
After a scoreless opening period, Sodergren’s 20th of the season gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead. At 8:56, Jones burned Morency as he looked to pass to Duncan Campbell, but after pausing, Jones snapped the shot past Morency high glove. Klack picked up an assist. Owen Sillinger gave the Vees a 2-1 lead on the man advantage with is 15th of the season.
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The gamed ended on a sour note as Tychonick was hit into the boards from behind by Stevenson as the clock ran down; Stevenson was handed a five-minute blow to the head major penalty.
A crowd of 3,138 was on hand.
Vees notes: The Vees are now 27-2-0-0 when Jones picks up at least a point. Saturday also marked the 100th career regular season game for Sillinger and Taylor Ward. Saturday’s victory was also the Vees’ 200th in the SOEC. The Vees return to action Sunday in Salmon Arm as they take on the Silverbacks at 3 p.m.
