The Penticton Vees notched up another home ice win Saturday, defeating the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-3.
It was a close game though. With just 1:38 left on the clock, James Miller tied the game, sending it into overtime play, where Ryan Sandelin scored the winning goal.
David Silye opened the scoring for Penticton 10:46 into the game by knocking the puck out of midair. On his backhand, Silye was able to knock a waist-high puck through the pads of Adam Marcoux for his eighth goal of the season.
The lead carried into the second but didn’t last long as Trail tied the game just 22 seconds in. A power play that carried over into the period resulted in a wrist shot from Trevor Zins beating a screened Derek Krall.
Eric Linell restored the Vees lead 4:38 later. While on the power play, Miller slid the puck towards the front of the goal from the left wing and Linell tipped it through the legs of Marcoux for his 14th of the year.
Penticton’s lead again carried into the third period, but Trail again evened things up when Owen Ozar had a shot go off him and over the arm of Krall on a scramble in front of the net six minutes into the period.
Minutes later, Penticton went back to the man advantage looking to restore their lead, but Trail were the ones taking advantage. After a long shift in the attacking zone, the Vees lost the puck at the Trail blue line which resulted in a 3-on-1 rush.
Spencer Maclean and Jeremy Smith played give-and-go and Maclean fired a shot past Krall’s blocker from the right side to give Trail the lead with 9:32 to play.
The Vees tied up the game again with Cassidy Bowes feeding a loose puck to Miller who fired it over the glove of Marcoux to tie the game with 1:38 to go.
In overtime, Trail was given a penalty shot after Smith was hooked on a breakaway by Miller. Smith tried the one-handed backhand move but was blocked by Krall.
As play continued, the Smoke Eaters came into the Vees end and threw the puck towards the goal. It went off the stick of Miller and towards Krall, but the Vees goaltender made an unorthodox save by sticking out the right pad while sliding to his left.
Silye gathered the rebound before firing a long bank feed ahead down the right wing for a streaking Sandelin, who came in on a breakaway and beat Marcoux through the five-hole to win the game.
The win was Penticton’s third in a row and completed the 3-for-3 week. Penticton now gets set for a home-and-home set with the West Kelowna Warriors Tuesday and Wednesday night.
Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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