A night after the Penticton Vees won 4-3 in overtime against the Trail Smoke Eaters at home, it was the Smokies returning the favour on home ice, with a 4-3 overtime win at Cominco Arena.
Adam Parsons scored 1:55 into overtime, as Trail earned the weekend split and their first overtime win of the season. Parson’s goal capped off a come from behind win for the Smokies, who came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits.
Penticton led 2-0 after 20 minutes and 3-2 late in the second, but had to settle for a single point, but did extend their point streak to five games with the overtime loss. Saturday marked the fourth consecutive game the Vees went overtime or the shootout.
Ryan MacPherson scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season, and Anselmo Rego and Leon Matthiasson each scored their first BCHL goals in the loss.
Saturday was a strong special teams performance for the Vees, as they scored on both of their power play chances and were two for two on the penalty kill.
MacPherson opened the scoring with his power play tally four minutes into the game. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect scored his team-leading sixth goal after the puck came back off the glass behind the net and out to the side of the goal.
Rego doubled the Vees’ lead with his first BCHL goal with two and half minutes left in the first. Rego came down the right wing and put the puck up and over the goaltender Teagan Kendrick’s glove to make it 2-0.
Trail rallied early in the second, as they scored twice in just 72 seconds to tie the game.
On their second power play of the game, Matthiasson muscled his one-timer through the arm of Kendrick. His first in the BCHL put the Vees back ahead 3-2 and triggered a goalie change for the Smoke Eaters.
Trail responded quickly, tying the game back up just over two minutes after Matthiasson’s goal. The puck appeared to have deflect twice before sneaking past Vees’ goaltender Will Ingemann.
After the two teams combined for four goals in the second period, there was no scoring in the final 20 minutes.
NEXT UP: The Vees (3-1-1-1) return home to face the Prince George Spruce Kings (1-1-1-0) on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. It’s the first “Wicked Wednesday” of the season, as tickets are just $12 for adults and seniors. Youth 18 and under are free, courtesy of Peters’ Brothers Construction. Tickets available at the Valley First box office at the SOEC, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com