The Penticton Vees put the finishing touches on a perfect pre-season with their 5-3 victory over the Chilliwack Chiefs on Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Vees finished pre-season with a 3-0 record and now prepare for their BCHL regular season opener next week against the West Kelowna Warriors.
Specialty teams was the difference Saturday, as Penticton scored two power play goals and two shorthanded markers. The Vees were also a perfect 4-4 on the penalty kill.
Max Heise and Francesco Dell’Elce scored shorthanded, and Simon Meier and James Fisher scored on the man advantage. Daniel Buchbinder scored the Vees’ only even strength goal.
Will Ingemann and Andrew Ness split the goaltending duties. Ingemann started and stopped 8 of 10 shots in half a game. Ness spelled him off halfway through and stopped six of seven shots down the stretch.
Penticton trailed twice in the game, including being down 2-1 after 20 minutes, but they found another gear and outscored Chilliwack 4-1 over the final two periods.
Max Heise scored the Vees’ only goal in the first period. His shorthanded marker was bookended by two Chiefs’ goals, as Dylan Kinch and Mateo Mrsic had the Chiefs up by one after the opening frame.
In the second, the Vees came out and scored twice in the first seven minutes. Buchbinder tied on a pretty passing play with Conyr Hellyer. Dell’Elce gave Penticton their first lead, when he came down the wing and picked the corner over the goaltender’s shoulder to put the Vees up 3-2.
Meier doubled the home team’s lead in the third, as he scored the first of two power play goals in the frame. Meier fired a dart from the circle over the goalie’s shoulder at 5:38 to make it 4-2.
After Chilliwack scored to make it 4-3, Fisher scored the Vees second power play goal on a blast from the left-wing to restore the two-goal lead with less than five minutes left.
NEXT UP: The Vees open the 2023-24 regular season next Friday on the road against West Kelowna. Fans can watch the game on Flo Hockey TV or can listen to Bounce 800 AM.
READ MORE: Vancouver Canucks top prospects shine in Penticton
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