Game Recap: Vees grab commanding series lead after 3-1 road win in Game 3
WENATCHEE, WA- The Penticton Vees are one win away from advancing to the Interior Conference Final, after their 3-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild in Game 3, Tuesday at the Town Toyota Center.
The Vees lead the best-of-seven series 3-0, with Game 4 scheduled for Wednesday night in Wenatchee.
All the offence came in the first period, as Spencer Smith, Josh Nadeau, and Nic DeGraves scored for Penticton. The Vees’ three goals came before the midway mark of the first.
Cade Littler scored the Wild’s only goal with nine seconds left in the first period.
Luca Di Pasquo was excellent in the Penticton crease. The 19-year-old stopped 32 of 33 shots, including all 22 he faced over the final 40 minutes. Di Pasquo was named the first star.
Smith’s fourth goal of the playoffs opening the scoring three and a half minutes into the game. The 20-year-old scored on the Vees’ first shot to put the visitors ahead 1-0.
Four minutes later, Nadeau tipped in Joshua Niedermayer’s point shot to double the Vees’ lead. Nadeau’s fourth had Penticton out ahead 2-0 at 7:41.
DeGraves extended the Vees’ lead to 3-0 when he banked the puck off a Wenatchee skate and in at 9:26. His first of the postseason came off the skate of the Wild’s Ean Somoza.
Wenatchee got on the scoresheet with nine seconds to go in the opening frame, as Littler tipped in a pass from the wall at 19:51.
The Wild did pull their goalie with three minutes left in regulation, but Penticton held on to put Wenatchee on the brink of elimination.
GAME NOTES
Luca Di Pasquo has stopped 76 of 78 shots faced in the first three games of the series. With his goal Tuesday, Spencer Smith has points in six of seven playoffs games. The Vees are now 3-0 on the road in the BCHL Playoffs. Penticton’s win streak has stretched to 22 games, which started on February 10th, against Coquitlam.
GAME STATS
Final Score: 3-1, Vees
Shots: 33-32, Wild
Vees Scoring: Smith, J. Nadeau, DeGraves
Vees PP: 0/1
Vees PK: 2/2
Three Stars:
1) Luca Di Pasquo
2) Josh Nadeau
3) Andy Vlaha
Next Game: Round 2, Game 4, Wednesday, April 19, 6:00 pm at Wild