The Penticton Vees stumbled out of the BCHL All-Star break, losing 3-1 to the Chilliwack Chiefs, Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre in front of over 2,700 fans.
It was a scoreless game going into the third period, before the Chiefs Connor Dick and Brady Milburn scored just 66 seconds apart. Milburn also added an empty-net goal late in regulation.
Penticton peppered the Chilliwack net with 49 shots, including 33 in the third period, but Chiefs’ goaltender Vladimir Nikitin was up to the task. The Ottawa Senators draft pick made 48 saves in his first star effort.
Billy Renfrew spoiled Nikitin’s shutout bid in the final minute of the game, as he scored the Vees’ lone goal.
The Vees were playing their first game in 13 days and the long layoff may have factored into their struggles on Friday, as the team lamented their play through two periods.
“Not to take anything away from their goaltender, but we were not good enough for two periods. Once we went down 2-0, we finally showed some urgency,” said Vees’ Director of Hockey Operations Matt Miller post-game. “We weren’t playing fast enough. Our forecheck wasn’t there, we weren’t making passes and that led to us not getting anything accomplished for two plus periods.”
Chilliwack’s Connor Dick brock the scoreless deadlock midway through the third, as he scored on a rebound after Caleb Elfering charged down the wing and hard to the net. His second made it 1-0 for the visitors at 10:11.
Milburn got the Chiefs a critical insurance marker not long after Elfering’s marker, as he muscled his shot through the arm of Ingemann and just over the goal line that made it 2-0 at 11:17. His second went down as an empty-net, shorthanded goal at 17:26 to put the game out of reach.
Friday marked the return of forward Conyr Hellyer to the lineup. The 19-year-old had missed the last 11 games with a lower body injury. Hellyer’s return to the lineup was noticeable.
“Conyr was the driving force on his line with (Zack) Stringer and (James) Fisher. I thought they were our best line tonight,” began Miller. “They were physical, they were getting pucks into tough areas, and they created chances. Hellyer’s speed and hockey smarts were something we were really missing when he was injured.”
Friday was just the Vees’ second loss at home this season and first since Dec. 9. The Vees are now 15-2-0-0 at home.
NEXT GAME: The Vees (24-7-2-2) host the top team in the Coastal Conference, the Surrey Eagles (26-4-2-0), Saturday, Jan. 27th; puck drop is 6 p.m. Tickets are available at the Valley First box office or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com