Game Recap: Vees strong start to Game 2 leads to 7-0 win over Wild
Photo: Cherie Morgan
PENTICTON, BC- The Penticton Vees took a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven Interior Conference Semi-Final against the Wenatchee Wild with their 7-0 win Saturday at the SOEC.
Aydar Suniev had a pair of goals in the victory. Defenceman Joshua Niedermayer had a goal and two helpers and was named the first star. Bradly Nadeau also had three points and his brother Josh had a pair of assists.
Goaltender Luca Di Pasquo earned his first shut of the BCHL Playoffs, posting 22 saves to improve his record to 6-0.
Penticton came out of the blocks running, as they scored four goals on 16 shots in the opening 20 minutes and never looked back. The Vees scored three times in three minutes early in the first period. Suniev, Niedermayer, and Beanie Richter all found the back of the net before the nine-minute mark. Niedermayer and Richter scoring their first goals of the postseason.
Moravec finished off the scoring in the opening frame, as the 19-year-old got his fifth of the BCHL playoffs with less than five minutes left in the period.
Jackson Nieuwendyk scored his first of the playoffs six and a half minutes into the middle frame, as the Vees built up a 5-0 lead not even midway through the game. Nieuwendyk’s goal came during a four-on-four sequence.
Penticton tacked on two more goals in the final frame as both Suniev and Bradly Nadeau found the net to put the game to bed.
One of Suniev’s two goals was a power play marker five minutes into the opening frame. Suniev scored on the Vees’ first power play of the game.
Bradly Nadeau is the only Vees’ player to record at least one point in every playoff game thus far. Nadeau has points in 20 of his last 21 games going back to the regular season. In those 21 games he has amassed 54 points.
Saturday was Di Pasquo’s first shut since February 3rd, against the Surrey Eagles. Di Pasquo had four shutouts in the regular season. He has stopped 70 of 72 shots over his last three starts.
Penticton has won 21-straight games dating back to February 10, and the Vees have won 38 in a row at home going back to April 1, 2022.
GAME STATS
Final Score: 7-0, Vees
Shots: 40-22, Vees
Vees Scoring: Suniev (2), Niedermayer, Richter, Moravec, Nieuwendyk, B. Nadeau
Vees PP: 1/4
Vees PK: 1/1
Three Stars:
1) Josh Niedermayer
2) Luca Di Pasquo
3) Aydar Suniev
Attendance: 3,143
Next Game: Round 2, Game 3, Tuesday, April 18, 6:00 pm at Wild