Recap: Vees top Vipers, win first home game of 2024
Photo: Cherie Morgan
PENTICTON BC. – The wait was worth it. Playing their first home game in nearly a month, the Penticton Vees picked up a 2-1 win over the Vernon Vipers, Friday at the SOEC.
Friday was the Vees first home game since December 15th and they picked up where they left off, picking up a crucial win over an Okanagan rival. Penticton now is four points ahead of the idle West Kelowna Warriors for top spot in the Interior Division.
Zack Stringer and Connor MacPherson supplied the offence, as they scored in each of the first two periods. Goaltender Andrew Ness and the defence handled the rest, as Penticton for the third time in four meetings with Vernon.
Ness, who was named the BCHL First Star for December last week, stopped 24 shots for his ninth win on the season. He has surrendered just four goals in his last five starts.
Stringer opened the scoring in the back half of the first period. Stringer was all over a rebound off the goalie’s pad, as he scooped it up and over the fallen netminder. His fifth put the Vees ahead 1-0 a 12:54.
In the second, MacPherson doubled the Vees early on a power play. MacPherson tipped Larry Keenan’s point shot past Vernon’s Colin Reay at 3:13. It was a big sigh of relief for MacPherson, who scored his first goal in 21 games.
Vernon’s Luke Bibby scored two minutes into the third period to cut the Vees’ lead to 2-1, as he snuck his wrist shot underneath the blocker of Andrew Ness.
Penticton shutdown the Vipers the rest of the way in the final frame, as they improved their home record to 14-1-0-0.
GAME STATS
Vernon 1 at Penticton 2
Shots: 41-25, Vees
Vees Scoring: Stringer, MacPherson
Vees Goaltending:
Andrew Ness (W) 60:00 24/25
Power-Plays
Vees: 1/2
Vipers: 0/1
Three Stars:
1) Zack Stringer
2) Connor MacPherson
3) Colin Reay
Attendance: 2,867
NEXT GAME: The Vees (23-6-2-2) continue their weekend at home, as they face the Cranbrook Bucks tomorrow, Saturday, January 13th, at the SOEC; puck drop is 6:00 pm. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com