Recap: Vees beat Bucks 3-1 in series opener
Photo: Jack Murray
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, April 18, 2025
RECAP: BUCKS (1) AT VEES (3)
Penticton, BC – The Penticton Vees opened up their second round series with a 3-1 win over the Cranbrook Bucks, Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Penticton leads the best-of-seven series 1-0, with Game Two Saturday in Penticton.
The Vees scored in each of the three periods, as Simon Meier, Caton Ryan, and Louie Wehmann provided the offence. Penticton never trailed, as they led 1-0 after the first, 2-1 through 40 minutes, and then restored their two goal lead early in the third period.
Will Ingemann was arguably the Vees’ best player on Friday, as the 19-year-old goaltender stopped 20 shots and was named the third star. His best moment was an eye-popping glove save in the first period on the penalty kill, as he stopped the Bucks on a two-on-oh rush.
Meier, with his family from Switzerland in attendance, opened the scoring seven minutes into the game. Meier charged down the wing, before his centering pass intended for Brock Reinhart at the back post, ended up deflecting off a defenceman’s skate and past the goalie. His fourth at 7:41 put the Vees up 1-0.
WILL INGEMANN WITH THE GLOVE HAND
A great save by the Penticton netminder keeps them ahead in game 1! @Fraser_Vees | @PentictonVees pic.twitter.com/3LKIiY26Om
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) April 19, 2025
Ingemann’s highlight reel save helped preserve the Vees 1-0 in the first, as he slid across to his left, getting his glove on Matthew Gilmore’s shot after a cross-ice pass from Rasmus Svartström. That was timely, as Penticton doubled their lead early in the second.
Caton Ryan scored on five-on-three power play five minutes into the middle frame, as Penticton went ahead 2-0. It took the Vees all of 14 seconds to capitalize on the two-man as Ryan hammered a one-timer over the goalie’s blocker at 5:17. Ryan’s third made it 2-0.
Cranbrook’s Rasmus Svartström cut the Vees lead in half late in the second, as he scored on a rebound at 14:53, as Penticton’s lead was cut to 2-1. Svartström scoring his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs.
Penticton came out flying in the third, as Wehmann scored before the two-minute mark to extended to lead to 3-1. Ben Merrill powered his way down the right wing, before firing a pass to the far post, where it was jammed in by Wehmann. His second of the playoffs put Penticton ahead by two just 1:46 into the final frame. That goal a measure of revenge for Wehmann, after he had a goal waved off in the second, after his linemate contacted the Bucks’ goalie in the crease.
Penticton improved their home playoff record to 3-0 in the win, as thy have outscored the opposition 12-1 in those three games. Caton Ryan has scored in each of the last three games for Penticton. Will Ingemann has stopped 56 of 60 shots he has faced through three playoff games.
GAME STATS
Shots: Vees- 29 Bucks-21
Scoring: Simon Meier (4), Caton Ryan (3), Louie Wehmann (2)
Goaltending: Will Ingemann(W)- 60:00, 20/21
Vees Power Play: 1/3
Vees Penalty Kill: 2/2
Three Stars:
1) Simon Meier (1G)
2) Will Ingemann (20 SVS)
3) Rasmus Svartström (1G)
Next Game: Saturday, April 19th, 6:00 pm PDT, Round Two, Game Two vs. Cranbrook Bucks