(Front graphic player photos courtesy Garry Horley and Shawn Zacharias)
The 2011 Fred Page Cup presented by BC Hydro Power Smart is underway and the Penticton Vees got off to the start they wanted with a 5-1 win over the Quesnel Millionaires Thursday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
It took just 3:14 for Penticton to open the scoring as Troy Stecher gathered a rebound from a Garrett Milan shot and beat Adam Harris. But the Mills responded quickly as, just over a minute later, Shawn Mueller tallied on a set-up from Daryl DeVries and Skyler Smutek.
The game was still 1-1 nearing the midway point of the second when Smutek was handed a double-minor for high sticking and the Vees capitalized with what would be prove to be the game-winning goal off the stick of James Polk.
Penticton went up two when Myles McCauley scored his first BCHL playoff goal by finishing a nice play started by Mark MacMillan on an odd-man rush.
Quesnel had opportunities early in the third as Vees Kyle Beaulieu and Joey Benik each took minor penalties but the Mills couldn't score on the resulting power plays. Penticton then iced it with goals from Benik and a second by Polk.
Penticton doubled up Quesnel in shots on goal 36-18 and O'Donnell had two asssists on the night to take first star. Game 2 goes Friday night in Penticton.
