Photo credit: Chaisson Creative
The Penticton Vees won Game 4 of the Fred Page Cup Final last night by a 4-1 score line over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs to complete the four game sweep and win their second consecutive BCHL championship.
This is the Vees league-record 14th title in franchise history and their fourth in the last seven BCHL seasons.
Penticton got goals from Josh Nadeau, Brett Moravec, Mason Poolman and Dovar Tinling, while Owen Desilets scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs. Luca Di Pasquo stopped 26 of 27 shots for the Vees and, in his first start of the playoffs, Callum Tung made 38 saves on 41 shots for Alberni Valley.
After the game, Penticton forward Bradly Nadeau was named the winner of the Jeff Tambellini Trophy as playoff Most Valuable Player. The 18-year-old led the BCHL Playoffs with 17 goals and had 35 points in 17 games.
“It was all a team effort,” said Bradly Nadeau. “They gave me MVP, but everyone deserved it. Everyone gave everything they had and now we get to go enjoy it as a team.”
The Vees win caps off a historic year that saw the team lose just four games in the regular season and only one in the playoffs. Over the last two postseasons, Penticton is a combined 32-2.
“It’s an unbelievable group of guys,” said Vees captain Frank Djurasevic. “They made coming to the rink so fun every day. It’s the closest group I’ve ever been a part of. Having so many guys back from last year made it so special for us.”
“This is the closest team I’ve ever been on,” said Di Pasquo. “Every day, waking up, it’s a blessing playing with these guys. It’s been nothing but unbelievable.”
On the Alberni Valley side, their season comes to an end after making the Fred Page Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.
After a strong championship series, Penticton forward Josh Nadeau finishes as the postseason’s leading scorer with 36 points on 16 goals and a league-high 20 assists.
