Game Recap: Another Vees late lead slips away in OT loss to Trail
Photo: Cherie Morgan
Penticton, BC – The Penticton Vees suffered more overtime heartbreak on Valentine’s Day, as they fell 4-3 to the Trail Smoke Eaters, Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
It was the Vees’ second overtime loss in a week, as they’re now winless in their last three games. One week ago, Penticton lost 3-2 in overtime at home to Vernon. In both overtime losses, the Vees had a lead with under two minutes left in the game.
Friday, Captain Conyr Hellyer scored twice, his first two goals since November 15th. Ben Merrill also snapped a scoring slump, as he scored his first in eight games. Penticton had leads of 2-1 and 3-2 but ultimately had to settle for a single point.
Brayden Sinclair scored twice for the Smoke Eaters and Jason Stefanek scored his second overtime winner against the Vees this season, as Trail won their 14th in a row, and moved within one point of the Vees at the top of the Interior standings.
Trail’s Ryan Parker got the nod in net after starter Teagan Kendrick was scratched due to an illness. Parker made the most of his opportunity, as he stopped 49 shots and was named the second star.
Will Ingemann was solid despite the loss in the Vees’ crease, as he turned aside 27 of 31 shots.
After a scoreless first period, Hellyer opened the scoring in the second. With just a second left in a Vees’ power play, the 20-year-old scored on the rebound off the goalie’s pad at 5:07.
Things got heated on the next shift as Simon Meier dropped the gloves with Trail’s Owen McCarthy. That scrap may have sparked Trail, as they tied it up not long after.
Sinclair levelled the score 1-1 at 6:28 after he poked the puck through Ingemann’s pads after the initial rush from Drew Anastasio was stopped. The Smokies then grabbed their first lead less than three minutes later.
Christian Kim put Trail ahead 2-1 at 9:17 after he too drove the net and jammed the puck underneath the pads of Ingemann.
Penticton got back on level terms midway through the middle frame, as Merrill scored his 11th at 12:50. Matthew Cataldo dropped the puck to Merrill off the rush and fired low on the stick side.
The Vees retook the lead early in the third period, as the captain scored his second of the game at 6:19 to make it 3-2. Trail turned the puck over on the wall and Hellyer walked to the middle and beat Parker over the blocker.
Hellyer almost put the game away on the very next shift, but he hit the base of the post. George Stavrianeas set up Hellyer for the one-timer on a two-on-one. That near miss loomed large.
Penticton was less than two minutes away from snapping Trail’s 14-game win streak, but Sinclair scored his second of the game with just 1:43 to go to force overtime.
In OT, Stefanek completed the comeback for Trail, as he scored on his own rebound at the side of the net at 8:12.
GAME NOTES
Friday’s loss marks the Vees’ first three-game (0-1-2-0) losing streak of the season and now 3-4 in seven overtime games. Hellyer’s two goals Friday snapped a 17-game goalless streak. Friday was the debut of new Vees forward George Stavrianeas. The Vees finish with a 2-2-2-0 record against Trail in six games this season.
GAME STATS
Shots: Vees- 52 Smoke Eaters- 31
Scoring: Conyr Hellyer (7th, 8th), Ben Merrill (11th)
Goaltending: Will Ingemann (L), 68:12, 27/31
Vees Power Play: 1/4
Vees Penalty Kill: 2/2
Three Stars:
1) Conyr Hellyer (2G)
2) Ryan Parker (49 SVS)
3) Christian Kim (1G, 1A)
Attendance: 2,758
Up Next: Saturday, February 15, at Vernon Vipers, 6:00 pm.