Video review played a key role in the Penticton Vees 6-0 win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The BCHL announced in November that the technology would be used in Penticton, beginning with its Nov. 19 game against the Merritt Centennials. The technology never came into play until today.
READ MORE: BCHL implementing video review in Penticton
Vees forward Matt Gosiewski got his stick on a rebound at the side of the Bulldogs net and roofed a shot that went out as quickly as it had gone in at 6:23. It was ruled a good goal after the review showed the puck had hit the back bar of the net.
“Our organization spent the money to do it,” said Vees coach-GM Fred Harbinson. “It was a goal that was waved off. It was clearly in. That one play in itself made it worthwhile.”
That goal came after the Vees thought they had a goal earlier, but Jake Witkowski swatted the puck away as it was inches from the goal line after getting through Carson Schamerhorn. The Vees took a 2-0 lead into the intermission as Nicholas Jones scored the first of two goals, when he buried a rebound.
The Vees padded their lead in the second period with two goals in 40 seconds, chasing Bulldogs goalie Carson Schamerhorn, who returned for the third period. Bulldogs assistant coach Alex Evin said the change was initially made to spark the team, which he said didn’t work.
“Carson hasn’t played in a while. We needed to be better in front of him in the third,” said Evin. “We put him back in just to get him more minutes.”
When it came to the Bulldogs effort, Evin said they are working hard, just not playing smart.
Taylor Sanheim gave the Vees a 3-0 lead as he blasted his third of the season past Schamerhorn after taking a feed from Jonny Tychonick. Chris Klack also earned an assist. Joseph Leahy scored his fifth of the season on a long shot from the circle.
Grant Cruikshank later had a chance to net his 26th of the season, but was denied by Brody Claeys who stopped all five shots he faced.
In the final period the Vees added two more goals. The first coming on the man-advantage, which went two-for-four as Jamie Armstrong did a good job to screen Schamerhorn. Ryley Risling and Grant Cruikshank picked up assists. Jones made it 6-0 on a breakaway tally.
“It was nice to get 60 minutes. We stayed on them throughout the game,” said Jones, who earned a second star. “It would have been easy to kind of lay off there going into the third up 4-0. We found way to stay into the game. Kept on pressuring them.”
The Vees opened the game with plenty of jump outshooting the Bulldogs 18-5. The final shot total was 42-24. Matt Robson earned his third shutout and 26th win.
With the win, the Vees improve to 31-9-1-0 and trail the Wenatchee Wild by five points for first overall in the BCHL. They have one game in hand on the Wild.
Video review process
Harbinson said the video that is shown on the jumbotron is not the video that video review officials use.
“There is a better camera than that. It is right above the net on both ends,” he said. “There is an official up in the press box, along with a technician. Any play that is at the net, they are basically all game long watching plays.”
After Gosiewski fired his shot in, the officials are checking and made the call to the penalty box. The referees do not make the decision on the play. That is decided by the official in the press box who is paid.
Vees notes: Defenceman James Miller is expected to be out one to two weeks with an upper body injury, but the team will know more on Monday. The attendance at Saturday’s game was 3,039.
