Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Penticton Vees – 4
Alberni Valley Bulldogs – 3
The Fred Page Cup Final got off to an exciting start with the Penticton Vees edging out the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 4-3 in Game 1 at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Penticton got things going just 35 seconds into the game when Nic DeGraves buried a centering pass from Aydar Suniev to give his team the lead, but the Bulldogs answered back later in the period on a Nicholas Beneteau goal to tie the game 1-1 at the first intermission.
Like they did in the opening period, the Vees came out firing in the middle frame with Josh Nadeau scoring his 12th of the postseason on a beautiful deflection of a pass from his brother Bradly on the power play, then Mason Poolman scored his first of the playoffs and first since January of last season and Penticton took a 3-1 lead. Matthew Maltais jammed home a loose puck at the midway mark of the second to cut into the lead, but a late rebound goal from Thomas Pichette restored Penticton’s two-goal advantage.
Alberni Valley pushed hard in the third period and got to within one when Beneteau banked home his second of the game, but that was as close as they would come as the Vees took the 4-3 final.
DeGraves and Poolman each added a helper to finish with two points on the night, while Bulldogs defender Logan Holm ended up with two assists.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Penticton.
