The Penticton Vees are off to Vancouver Island Tuesday and Wednesday for games three and four of the B.C. Hockey League Fred Page Cup playoffs after tying the series Saturday.
Getting off to a less-than-stellar start, going zero for five on the power play in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Cowichan Valley Capitals, the Vees rebounded with 4-1 win of their own Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Ryan Sandelin opened the scoring on the Vees first man advantage nine minutes into the game deflecting a James Miller slap shot.
The Caps got their first power play marker to tie the contest with just four minutes remaining the period.
Penticton netted what proved to be the winner midway through the second when David Silye read a drop pass by the Capitals perfectly and intercepted the puck on the Cowichan blue line.
Silye then skated in to the right circle and ripped the puck into the top corner over Pierce Diamond’s glove to give the Vees a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal.
Silye was also celebrating his 20th birthday.
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With just 33 seconds to play in the period Sandelin circled the Cowichan net and hooked the puck in front to a waiting Eric Linell who wound up knocking in his own rebound for the insurance marker.
Vees Carson Kosobud dropped the gloves with Caps Cole Broadhurst, but neither player was able to get many punches in before the linesmen separated them.
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With the Capitals net empty, and them pressuring, the Vees were able to survive the late push when Andre Ghantous poked the puck free at his own blue line, skated to centre and iced the game with the empty net goal with 30 seconds remaining.
The series resumes in Penticton Saturday at 6 p.m. with games six and seven (if necessary) March 11 in Cowichan and Penticton on March 13.
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Mark Brett | Reporter
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