GAME RECAP: Vees Take Game #3 By 2-1 Score, Lead Trail In Series 2-1

PHOTO: Steve Piccolo

TRAIL, B.C. – The Penticton Vees used a pair of second period goals and a 28-save performance from Kaeden Lane to help them to a 2-1 victory in Game #3 of their Interior Conference Quarter Final series against the Trail Smoke Eaters on Monday night at Cominco Arena.

Early in the opening period, Kaeden Lane had to turn away some quality chances as the Smoke Eaters came out with plenty of chances but the Vees 20-year-old netminder was up to task and turned aside each of the three early shots he faced and all eight thrown his way in the opening period.

Cole Tisdale also had to be good in the Smoke Eaters net as the Vees brought chances of their own following the early barrage from Trail. Tisdale had to make a save with his right pad on a shot from the blue line by Adam Eisele that was deflected by Josh Nadeau as Tisdale made that save, one of his nine stops in the opening frame as the period was knotted up at 0-0 heading into the 2^nd period.

It didn’t take long for the Vees to find their way to the scoresheet in the middle stanza as just 6 seconds into the period, Luc Wilson gave Penticton the game’s opening goal. Wilson burst through the Smoke Eaters defense off the opening face-off and made his way to the goal, throwing a shot through the legs of Tisdale for his 1^st goal of the playoffs and a 1-0 Vees lead early in the 2^nd period.

After killing a penalty in the middle frame, the Vees went back to penalty kill but on this PK, the Vees were able to gather a two-goal lead and came from a strong play in the neutral zone by Casey McDonald to set up a shorthanded marker.

McDonald was able to work the puck away from a Smoke Eater at centre ice as he chased the loose puck down in the offensive end and cut to the net on his forehand, pushing the puck back to his backhand in front of the net and back to his forehand again as he slid the puck past the glove side of Tisdale for his 2nd goal of the playoffs and a 2-0 Vees lead at the 7:38 mark of the 2nd period.

That was all for scoring in the 2nd period, which was a frame in which the Vees threw 18 shots on goal to get ahead by a pair of markers heading into the final period where Trail began to bring pressure in the offensive end, including putting 13 shots on goal to the Vees 6 in the final 20 minutes.

Kaeden Lane stood tall as the Vees got helped by a cross bar and a goal post in the opening five minutes of the period before the Smoke Eaters got the game within a marker at the 7:18 mark of the 3rd period to make it a 2-1 game.

Coalson Wolford got the puck below the goal line and backhanded a shot to the blocker side of Lane that was stopped by the Vees netminder before Teddy Lagerback gathered the rebound on the glove side of Lane to cut the deficit in half and get the game to 2-1 heading into the final stretch of the period.

The Smoke Eaters continued to get the puck in and try to go to work offensively but the Vees, along with Lane, didn’t allow anything to the back of the net and a strong defensive stand in the final period helped Penticton to a 2-1 victory in Game #3 and a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven Interior Conference Quarter Final series.

Kaeden Lane was once again a strong presence in Game #3, turning aside 28 of the 29 shots thrown his way in his 2nd win of the playoffs while Cole Tisdale made 31 saves on 33 shots in his 2nd loss of the playoffs.

FINAL SCORE: 2-1 Vees

SHOTS ON GOAL: 33-29 Vees

VEES PP: 0/2

VEES PK: 3/3

3 STARS:

1) Casey McDonald (1-0-1)

2) Kaeden Lane (28 saves on 29 shots)

3) Ethan Warrener (0-1-1)

Fortis Energy Player of the Game: Ridge Dawson (0-0-0)

Attendance: 1,222

The Vees have a chance to take a 3-1 series lead as they continue their best-of-seven Interior Conference Quarter Final series against the Trail Smoke Eaters with Game #4 upcoming on Tuesday night. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM at Cominco Arena with the game being broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as streamed live on BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.

Game #5 of the best-of-seven Interior Conference Quarter Final will take place in Penticton on Thursday, April 7^th at 7:00 PM at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tickets are available for purchase