Recap: Vees cruise to 7-2 win in Merritt

Merritt, BC- The Penticton Vees extended their win streak to three games after their 7-2 triumph over the Merritt Centennials, Saturday at Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.

For the second-straight night, the Vees (38-3-0-1) had a strong opening 20 minutes. Coming off a six-goal first period one night ago against West Kelowna, Penticton scored three times in the opening frame Saturday against the Centennials and never looked back.

Aydar Suniev and Josh Nadeau each had three points in the win. Suniev had a pair of goals and is the second Vee to hit the 30-goal mark. Josh Nadeau had a goal and two helpers.

Bradly Nadeau was not far behind his older brother, as chipped in with a goal and an assist. His goal was shorthanded marker. Owen Simpson opened the scoring for the second-straight night and finished with a two-point effort.

The Vees special teams were clicking on Saturday, as they scored twice on the power play and once shorthanded.

Simpson broke the scoreless deadlock eight minutes into the first period, after he snuck down the wall off the face-off and put a backhand upstairs over the goalie. Suniev doubled the Vees lead at 12:0, when he tapped in cross-ice pass. Bradly’s shorthanded tally came with just over five minutes left in the frame, after he hammered a one-timer on an odd-man rush with his brother Josh.

Merritt’s Christian Lowe cut into the Vees’ lead seven minutes into the second period, but Penticton responded with two quick goals to go up 5-1 after two periods. Suniev scored his second of the game and 30^th of the season on the power play at 17:26. On the next shift, Billy Norcross banged in a rebound at the side Merritt just 29 seconds later. Norcross picking up goals in back-to-back games.

Josh Nadeau added to the lead half a minute into the third period. Nadeau scoring on a Vees’ power play that carried over from the second. His 26^th making it 6-1.

After Merritt’s Kyle Isenberg made it 6-2, Jackson Nieuwendyk put the finishing touches on the win with his 18^th goal of the season into an empty net at 18:02.

GAME NOTES

Aydar Suniev now has 10 points (4G, 6A) in his last five games. Saturday was his fourth-straight multi-point game. Bradly Nadeau has 15 points (6G, 9A) in his last nine. With his two assists, Ryan Hopkins has outscored Merritt 26-6 in four games. Hank Levy remains perfect on the season as he improved his record to 11-0-0-0 with his 20-save performance. Penticton has outscored Merritt 26-6 in four games.

GAME STATS 

Final Score: 7-2, Vees

Shots: 43-222, Vees

Vees Scoring: Suniev (2), Simpson, Bradly Nadeau, Josh Nadeau, Norcross, Nieuwendyk

Vees PP: 2/3

Vees PK: 0/1

Three Stars:

1. Aydar Suniev
2. Ryan Hopkins
3. Christian Lowe (MER)

Next Game: Monday, February 20, vs. Cranbrook, 2:00 pm