The Penticton Vees used a three-goal 2nd period and 23 saves from Yaniv Perets to help them to a 4-1 season opening victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters on Friday night at the Trail Memorial Centre.
After opening the game with a strong penalty kill, Penticton was first to open the scoring in the hockey game and came courtesy of Tristan Amonte at the 4:56 mark of the opening period. David Silye collected a turnover in the neutral zone and sent a pass to Amonte, who made his way down the right wing before snapping a shot over the glove side of Smoke Eaters netminder Donovan Buskey for his 1st BCHL goal and a 1-0 Vees advantage.
Penticton received terrific goaltending in the opening frame as Yaniv Perets turned aside each of the 10 shots he faced in the frame. Perets opening period was highlighted with a right pad stop on a shorthanded breakaway as he robbed Tyler Ghirardosi to keep the Vees 1-0 lead in tact through the opening 20 minutes.
The 2nd period was a strong one for the visitors as they added three goals to take a lead into the final regulation frame as the Captain pushed the Vees lead to 2-0. A tic-tac-toe passing play began with Vincent Nardone as he sent a pass to the left face-off circle where Liam Malmquist spotted Silye in the slot who chipped a puck past the glove side of Buskey for a 2-0 lead at the 3:43 mark of the 2nd period.
Evan McIntyre extended the Vees lead to 3-0 at the 10:04 mark of the middle stanza with a gathering in front of the goal. Liam Malmquist sent a pass from the left wing to the front of the net that McIntyre slashed into the net for his 1st goal of the season and a three-goal advantage for the visitors.
The Vees increased their lead to 4-0 as Amonte found the back of the net for the second time in the game. Ethan Martini started the play in his own zone, advancing the puck off the right-wing boards that found the stick of Amonte as he cut in over the blue line. Amonte made a move to the middle of the slot as he shot over the blocker side of Buskey for his second of the night at the 15:27 mark of the middle stanza.
The Smoke Eaters changed goaltenders in the 3rd period as Logan Terness took over in the final frame and Trail broke the shutout bid of Perets with a goal from Owen Ozar. Braden Costello pushed his way around a Vees defender and cut to the net before sending a pass to the glove side where Ozar knocked in the Smoke Eaters lone goal at the 14:45 mark of the 3rd period to bring the final score to 4-1.
Yaniv Perets was terrific in the game, making 23 saves on 24 shots for his 1st BCHL win while Donovan Buskey stopped 21 of the 25 shots thrown his way in the loss before Logan Terness turned aside all 9 shots he faced in the 3rd period.
The Vees and Smoke Eaters play the second of their doubleheader to open the BCHL season on Saturday night at the Trail Memorial Centre. Puck drop is slated for 7:00pm.