In a game that featured three lead changes, the Penticton Vees saved their best for last in earning a 5-3 win over the Portage Terriers that eliminates the Manitoba side from the Western Canada Cup.
Penticton outshot the Terriers 15-1 in the third period and got goals from Taylor Sanheim and Duncan Campbell (empty net) to seal the win.
Taylor Ward opened the scoring for the Vees in the first but Portage fired back quickly with two goals 36 seconds apart by Chase Brakel and Mackenzie Dwyer to take a 2-1 lead to the first intermission.
In the second, Grant Cruikshank finished a stellar solo effort to tie it and then put the Vees ahead with a one-time blast on the power play. Brakel brought the Terriers even once again with a goal at 11:58 of the middle frame and it was 3-3 going to the third.
Sanheim’s winner came at the 12:29 mark of the third as he curled around the top of the left faceoff circle before snapping a shot that beat Kurtis Chapman. Campbell iced it with his empty-netter in the final minute.
Mat Robson made 15 saves for the win while Chapman kicked out 28 for the Terriers.
The win gives the Vees six points in the round robin portion of the WCC, good enough for third place. With Battlefords win earlier Thursday, they wound up with four points and sit fourth. Penticton and Battlefords will play Saturday at 2 p.m. with the winner moving to Sunday’s do-or-die game against the loser of the Saturday night game which will feature the first-place Brooks Bandits and the Chilliwack Chiefs who wound up second in the round robin.
