Zack Stringer and Connor MacPherson each had a goal, Andrew Ness made 24 saves and the Penticton Vees held on for a 2-1 victory over the Vernon Vipers Friday night, Jan. 12, at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Ness recorded his ninth win of the season for Penticton (23-6-2-2), who extended its lead atop the Interior Conference and improved its home record to 14-1.
The rookie goaltender has surrendered just four goals in his last five starts and helped Penticton hold off a late rally from Vernon (19-12-1-0), who found itself down 2-0 entering the third period.
After Stringer and MacPherson each found the back of the net in the first and second frames, respectively, Luke Bibby scored the Vipers’ lone goal at 2:21 of the third period.
Lukas McCloskey and Isaac Fecteau picked up the helpers on Bibby’s seventh marker of the season.
“It was a very tight-checking, hard and physical game,” said Vipers assistant coach Colton Sparrow. “I liked our game, aside from some moments in the second period.”
Vernon goaltender Colin Reay made 39 saves.
The 18-year-old netminder was beat on a net-front scramble finished off by Stringer and on a MacPherson deflection after a point shot from Detroit Red Wings prospect Larry Keenan.
“Colin was great in net,” Sparrow said. “We just needed a couple more to go in for us. Give the Vees credit, it was a hard-fought win.”
The Vees, who find themselves four points up on the second-place West Kelowna Warriors in the Interior Conference, are back on the ice Saturday, Jan. 13, when they host the Cranbrook Bucks (14-19-2-0).
Vernon returns home on Saturday night to welcome the Coquitlam Express (15-14-1-1) for an interconference showdown.
Puck drop for both games is at 6 p.m.
READ MORE: Trio of Penticton Vees crack NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings