The Penticton Vees are one win away from advancing to the Fred Page Cup Finals.
A pair of goals from both Luc Wilson and Beanie Richter helped the Vees push the West Kelowna Warriors to the brink of elimination on Monday night, May 2, winning the Interior Conference Finals’ third game 5-2 to take a 3-0 series lead.
Penticton has now outscored West Kelowna by a margin of 19-3 in the conference finals’ first three games.
Wilson’s two-point night gives him 19 for the playoffs, tied for the most in the B.C Hockey League.
Richter, meanwhile, scored his first-career BCHL playoff goal during the game’s opening frame.
Fred Harbinson’s squad has won 11 playoff games in a row, after losing Game No. 1 against the Trail Smoke Eaters in the playoffs’ opening round.
Along with the two-goal performances from Wilson and Richter, Penticton used a marker from Josh Nadeau just 55 seconds into the affair.
Frustration on the Warriors’ side was evident, with the team taking a whopping eight penalties on Monday night.
Winning on the road is always fun but it's even better when you get the best fans in the BCHL to travel too!
— Penticton Vees (@PentictonVees) May 3, 2022
Thank you to all of the Vees fans who made the trip to West Kelowna to cheer on the boys last night!
📸 @tamiquanphotos #BCHLPlayoffs | #PaintTheTownBlue pic.twitter.com/7HJDXn6Uy6
Prior to Monday’s game, Penticton goaltender Kaeden Lane had only allowed one goal in the two previous games. His shutout streak was extended to 137 minutes before Warriors forward John Evans spoiled the netminder’s party at the 13:46 mark of the final period.
Penticton’s fast start to the Interior Conference Finals has resulted in league-wide recognition for team forwards Jackson Nieuwendyk and the aforementioned Wilson, who were named as the BCHL’s second and third stars of the week, respectively.
Another weekend of hockey means another edition of the BCHL 3 Stars of the Week!
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) May 2, 2022
⭐️ Cooper Black (Nanaimo)
⭐️⭐️ Jackson Nieuwendyk (Penticton)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Luc Wilson (Penticton)https://t.co/GSkzHbKbnH#BCHL | #BCHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/5O9cj8Q4HN
The Vees will have an opportunity on Wednesday, May 5, to punch their ticket to the Fred Page Cup Finals, the series that determines the BCHL champions.
Puck drop for the series’ fourth game is at 7 p.m. in West Kelowna.
READ MORE: A look at the Interior Conference Finals from West Kelowna’s perspective
READ MORE: Penticton Vees’ Fred Harbinson wins B.C. Hockey League Coach of the Year award