Recap: Vees back in win column after 5-2 win in Salmon Arm

Photo: Jack Murray

SALMON ARM, B.C. – The Penticton Vees are back in the win column after their 5-2 victory over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Saturday at Rogers Rink in Salmon Arm.

The win snapped the Vees two-game losing streak and vaulted them back in sole possession of second place in the Interior Conference.

Penticton trailed 2-0 in the first period, before they answered back with five unanswered goals to pick up their second win against Salmon Arm this season.

“We got into a two-goal hole in the first, but we came back with a lot of gusto and that speaks volumes to what we have inside our dressing room. That response is exactly what you want from your group. Big win in a tough building,” commented Assistant Coach Matthew Vanden Berg post-game.

Five different players scored in the win, including rookie defenceman Callum Stone, who scored his first BCHL goal in the comeback win. Anselmo Rego, Ben Merrill, Caton Ryan, and Ryden Evers also scored. Evers, Ryan, and Stone each had a goal and an assist in the win. Nolan Stevenson had a pair of assists.

Will Ingemann earned his eighth win of the season. After surrendering two goals on the first two shots he faced, Ingemann stopped the remaining 18 he faced.

Saturday’s win came on the heels of a 3-0 loss in West Kelowna on Tuesday. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Vees had scored just three goals in their previous eight periods of hockey. Tonight, they were the first team to score five goals against the Silverbacks this season.

Tommy Cronin and Roenick Jodoin scored in the back half of the first to put Salmon Arm up 2-0. Cronin scored on the ‘Backs first shot at 10:51, then Jodoin scored at 16:38 to put the home team up by a pair.

Rego started the comeback when he scored his fifth with just over a minute to go in the first period. Ryan chipped the puck out front to Rego who jammed it in at 18:42. That goal started a stretch of three in just four and a half minutes for the Vees.

In the second, the Vees rattled off three more goals to go up 4-2. Merrill tied it 2-2 after he tipped the point shot by Nolan Stevenson at 2:47. Merrill’s goal was his third in his last four games.

Ryan gave the Vees their first lead on the night just half minute after Merrill scored. Ryan scored his first as a Vee 32 seconds after Merrill had tied it. Ryan pounced on a rebound in the crease to make it 3-2 at 3:19.

Stone, who set up the Vees’ third goal, scored their fourth goal, his first in the BCHL. Stone went to the net and tipped in Casey Brown’s pass past the Silverbacks’ goaltender at 9:08. His first put the Vees up 4-2 after two.

Evers finished off the scoring in the third period, as he picked the corner on a Vees’ power play at 5:36 that made it 5-2.

GAME STATS

Shots: Vees- 28 Silverbacks-20

Scoring: Anselmo Rego (5), Ben Merrill (6), Caton Ryan (1), Callum Stone (1), Ryden Evers (7)

Goaltending: Will Ingemann (W) 18/20, 60:00

Vees Power-Play: 1/3

Vees Penalty-Kill: 3/3

Three Stars:

• Callum Stone
• Roenick Jodoin
• Anselmo Rego

Up Next: The Vees (12-5-0-0) host the Trail Smoke Eaters (10-5-1-1) on Remembrance Day, Monday, November 11, at 2:00 pm. Tickets are available online at www.valleyfirsttix.com, and at the Valley First box office, starting at 10:00 am on Monday.