For the 12th time in a row, the Penticton Vees have won the Interior Conference’s regular-season title.
Thomas Pitchette scored 4:16 into overtime as Penticton defeated the West Kelowna Warriors 4-3 at Royal LePage Place on Friday night, March 15, clinching the conference’s best record and locking up home-ice advantage through the playoffs’ first three rounds.
“It was an emotional win,” said Vees assistant coach Matthew Vanden Berg.
“We didn’t have a lead the entire game, but we kept battling back and that speaks to the growth of our group. Everyone stepped up in their own way tonight. It feels pretty good to win the division in a very tough building.”
Detroit Red Wings prospect Larry Keenan celebrated his 19th birthday that night by scoring once and adding two assists.
Connor MacPherson and Billy Renfrew also scored for the Vees (37-7-3-2), who won their seventh straight game and topped West Kelowna in overtime for the second time in as many weeks.
Andrew Ness made 27 saves and won his 16th game of the season. The rookie goaltender also recorded an assist on MacPherson’s goal.
Penticton never had the lead until Pitchette called the game with his 17th goal of the season late in the overtime frame. Friday marked the Vees’ 10th come-from-behind victory of the season.
The Interior Conference rivals traded goals, starting with Warriors forward Jack Pridham’s 21st of the year midway through the first period.
After Keenan responded for Penticton just 34 seconds later, Jackson Kyrkostas scored on the power play to help West Kelowna regain its lead in the middle frame.
MacPherson pulled the Vees back even shortly after before Warriors’ Carter Oakenfold scored his first-career BCHL goal in the third period to give his team the lead once again.
Renfrew scored 21 seconds later to force overtime.
West Kelowna (29-10-11-0) is the only team in the BCHL to have played 50 games and sits six points ahead of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks for second place in the Interior.
The Vees, who went 4-2 against their Central Okanagan rivals in
Friday was Penticton’s final road trip of the season, as the team returns home Saturday to host the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Vees have five games remaining before the BCHL Playoffs start on April 5, and sit three points behind the Surrey Eagles for the BCHL’s best record.
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