For the first time since the South Okanagan Events Centre opened in 2008, the Penticton Vees took a loss to the Powell River Kings, playing on home ice this weekend.
The Vees (10-5-1-1) opened the scoring, but two goals by the Kings (11-4-1-1) just 12 seconds apart by near the end of the first period gave them a lead for the rest of the night in a 4-2 Kings win Saturday.
Jonny Tychonick got the Vees off on the right foot when a long slap shot from the left point eluded all traffic in front of the net and beat a screened Mitch Adamyk on the glove side nearly eight minutes into the game.
Penticton had a good opening, controlling the majority of the play for the first 18 minutes, but the Kings took the lead in the blink of an eye. The tying goal came off a deflection in front as Gavin Rauser got a piece of a point shot which then hit Nolan Hildebrand害羞草研究所檚 glove and into the net to tie the game.
Off the face-off the Kings got the puck into the attacking zone again, and after a shot hit the post on Hildebrand害羞草研究所檚 blocker side, it sat behind him in the crease. Neal Samanski swept the loose puck into the net as the Kings took the 2-1 lead into the first intermission.
With the Vees on the power play in the second, it was the Kings taking advantage. A dump in was intercepted by Andy Stevens and he was able to skate in on a breakaway before beating Hildebrand with a backhand move to make it 3-1 Powell River after two periods.
The power-play chances for the Vees continued to rack up in the third period, but they had a tough time getting into the Kings害羞草研究所� zone and the scoring chances were few and far between through the first half of the period.
Ben Berard jumped on a rebound off a shot from the blue line that missed the net but bounced out to the other side as he chipped it over Hildebrand to make the score 4-1 heading into the final minutes.
The Vees were given a five-minute power play after Jack Long dropped his gloves and went after Ryan Sandelin hit Long into the boards. On the advantage the Vees were able to add another power-play goal as Jackson Keane backhanded a puck through Adamyk害羞草研究所檚 pads with 2:26 remaining.
Adamyk shut the door after the goal as he finished with 35 saves in the 4-2 Kings win. It was the first game Powell River has ever won at the South Okanagan Events Centre since it opened in 2008.
The Vees now have a week of practice ahead of them before they get set to welcome the Vernon Vipers in the first half of a home and home series next Friday.
