VEES ADVANCE TO SEMIFINALS

Press Release sent to the World of Junior Hockey

HUMBOLDT, SK- The Penticton Vees have booked their spot in the RBC Cup semifinals after a 3-1 win over the Portage Terriers on Wednesday night.

The Vees (2-2) rallied for three goals in the third period after falling behind the Terries 1-0. Penticton will have to wait until Thursday night to find out which team they play in one of two semifinals.

In their previous three round-robin games, the Vees surrendered the opening goal, and Wednesday was not different, as they spotted the Terriers a second period power-play goal. Tanner Waldvogel broke a scoreless tie at 8:38 of the second, when he put a shot through Mike Garteig after scramble at the side of the net.



The Terriers outshot the Vees in the second 9-8 after the Vees edged the Terriers 10-7 in the opening period. Both Mike Garteig and Terriers goaltender Shea Cooper were outstanding in the middle frame, making a handful of eye-popping saves. Garteig highlighted the second with a desperation stick-save off of Brendan Harms to keep the game within one goal.



The Vees hit their stride in the third period, exploding for three goals and by doing so, avoiding their third straight loss. Curtis Loik evened the game off a jam play at the side of the Terriers goal. Loik found a loss puck at the post and shoveled it underneath Cooper’s pad at 1:53. Logan Johnston put the Vees ahead for the first time in the game just before the nine-minute mark. Johnston scored in a similar fashion to Loik, corralling a loose puck after a failed pass, before stuffing it in the open side and past a down and out Cooper at 8:51. Mike Reilly sealed the win with his first goal of the tournament on a Vees power-play. Reilly wired a shot from the slot over the glove of Cooper at 11:49 to give the Vees their first two-goal lead of the tournament.

Mike Garteig finished with twenty-five saves, including ten in the third period for his second straight win in goal. Shea Cooper took the loss for the Terriers in his first start of the RBC Cup, making twenty-four saves in defeat.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)