The Penticton Vees have taken a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the BCHL Final following a 4-3 victory on Saturday night.
Despite no scoring in the opening frame, the hometown Vees were relentless with the puck in the offensive zone, outshooting the visiting Bulldogs 15-2, and carrying over that momentum into the second period.
Just three minutes into the second period, Brett Moravec scored his eighth goal of the playoffs, putting the Vees up 1-0, but the Bulldogs weren’t going down easy.
Brandon Buhr tied the game on a shorthanded breakaway just before the eight-minute mark — the first shorthanded goal Penticton has given up this postseason.
Following the game-tying goal, Ethan Bono put the Bulldogs up 2-1 with five minutes left, giving his team its first lead of the series and stunning the home crowd at the South Okanagan Event Centre.
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Penticton’s responded with two goals in 25 seconds to take the lead 3-2, thanks to tallies from Joshua Neidermayer and Josh Nadeau.
In the final frame, the Vees would go up 4-2 courtesy of Spencer Smith. While the Bulldogs would answer with a goal from Nicholas Beneteau on the powerplay near the midway point of the period, they could not find an answer, and the Vees went on to win 4-3.
The Vees are now 9-0 at home in the playoffs and have won 43 straight home games dating back to April 1, 2022.
The series shifts to Port Alberni for Game 3, where the two teams will meet on May 16. at 7 p.m.
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