The B.C. Hockey League’s preseason schedule is only two weeks old, but the Penticton Vees are off to a solid start.
In what was a fast-paced game on Friday night, the Vees improved to 3-0 in extended exhibition action following a 3-2 home-ice victory over the West Kelowna Warriors.
Ethan Martini, who opened the scoring early in the first period, Tristan Amonte, midway through the second, and Matteo Costantini, with third period’s only goal, scored for Penticton (3-0-0-0).
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Costantini’s game-winning goal came at 5:51, a shot from the slot after collecting a rebound from the left faceoff circle and dragging it to the middle of the ice, snapping the winner blocker-side.
Replying for West Kelowna (2-1-0-0) were Tyson Jugnauth, who made it 1-1 at 7:33 of the second, and Elan Bar Lev Wise, who levelled the score at 2-2 at 19:39 of the second with a shorthanded breakaway marker.
Yaniv Perets stopped 31 shots for the Vees, who were outshot 33-31. Johnny Derrick turned aside 28 shots for the Warriors, who outshot Penticton 16-9 in the third period.
Penticton was 0-for-5 on the power play while West Kelowna was 0-for-7.
The two teams meet again on Saturday, 6 p.m. in West Kelowna – just one of two weekend games involving Interior Division teams. The other is expansion Cranbrook (0-0-0-0) at Trail (0-0-0-0), also on Saturday.
Other BCHL teams that have yet to play their first preseason games include Merritt, Prince George and Powell River. The Wenatchee, Wash. Wild have also yet to play, but cannot take part in league games so far because of the closed border.
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