Tyson Jost’s backhand goal on the power play in the second period gave the Penticton Vees a 5-2 win over the Vernon Vipers Sunday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Vees gave the crowd of 1,972 something to cheer about early as they hit the scoresheet 42 seconds into Game 2 of the BCHL Interior Division Final as Jost wired home a Demico Hannoun feed past Jarrod Schamerhorn for the first of his two goals.
“I thought we came out swinging right away,” said Vees coach-general manager Fred Harbinson. “A big goal right off the hop. I think both teams knew today was a pretty critical game.”
That lead lasted until 7:48 of the period when former Vee Liam Finlay capitalized on a power play chipping in a second chance. The Vipers were given the man advantage after Finlay was leveled by Patrick Sexton near the Vees blue line. After scoring the equalizer, Finlay returned to the bench but had problems that required medical attention. He was taken to the Vipers dressing room with the assistance of teammates and didn’t return.
“They tried to say it was a charge. I though their guy put a soft pass into Liam’s feet,” said Harbinson. “You don’t like to see anybody get hurt. I have a lot of respect for all the kids that play in this league. Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt. Hopefully he is all right. Sexton isn’t a dirty player. He throws big hits, there’s no question. You look at his track record, he doesn’t have a track record of being a dirty player.”
“It’s tough to see a kid get hurt. especially kid, I know him off the ice,” said Sexton, adding that he was only trying to help his team win.”I’m going to do whatever I can to help my team win.”
When asked if he knew where he made contact, Sexton couldn’t quite recall.
“It happened so fast. I just tried to step up and build some momentum for my team,” he said.
Vipers forward Anthony Latina said it was a scary hit.
“Sexton is a lot bigger than Finlay, a little dirty but when Finlay passed out on the bench, the last thing we needed was a player on the other team chirping at our bench,” said Latina. “It’s a little gutless and classless but whatever, you got to deal with it. Good thing he is OK.”
The Vees opened the floodgates with four unanswered goals, starting with Cam Amantea getting his stick on a puck and burying it in the empty net at 19:23 of the first. Harbinson said that goal was huge.
The play started when Dante Fabbro fired a shot from inside the blue line that Schamerhorn kicked to his right to Cody DePourcq. The Vees’ feisty co-captain’s shot attempt went to Amantea, who cleaned up the garbage.
Before the period ended, Viper forward Colton McCarthy skated by Vees goalie Hunter Miska and punched him in the head.
In the second period, the Vees struck three times starting with Jost’s winner assisted by Hannoun and Jack Ramsey, who brought the puck out front from behind the net. Connor Chartier gave the Vees a 4-1 lead when his backhand shot beat Schamerhorn five-hole going in off the goalies left pad. Hannoun made it 5-1 when he hammered a pass from Patrick Newell top shelf over Schamerhorn’s glove after the goalie stretched to try and glove the puck.
In the third period, Viper forward Riley Brandt beat Vees goalie Hunter Miska with a shot to his glove hand. Miska finished with 25 saves on the night, while Schamerhorn turned aside 37.
“It’s a big win. Last year we kind of shot ourselves in the foot leaving here 1-1 but this was an all around great effort,” said Sexton. “We played a great complete game. It’s huge going up 2-0 going back to their barn.”
The teams will take Monday off then return to action for Games 3 and 4 at Kal Tire Place in Vernon on Tuesday and Wednesday.
