A very sloppy start to the game from both sides in this one, as neither team was able to string two passes together - or so it seemed, over the first five or six minutes of the game. The Vees would have the best chance of the game near the midway point of the first on a 2 on 1 rush but Chris Tai made a fantastic splits save on Jason Lavallee to keep it scoreless. The Vees would continue to push and hemmed the Dogs in their end shortly afterwards and again had a couple great chances but Tai stood call to keep it scoreless. The Vees would open the scoring late in the period on the power play on a neutral zone turnover that saw Scott Conway send Tyson Jost in alone on the breakaway where he cut in tight on goal and fired it past the glove of Tai to make it 1-0 Vees at 17:38 of the first. Shots favoured Penticton 12-11 after 20 minutes.
The second period had better pace from the get-go, with both sides looking sharp. The Vees would find the net to build their lead to 2-0 on a quick play off a draw in the Dogs end as Scott Conway again found Tyson Jost, alone in front of the Dogs net where he flipped it by Tai at 7:56 of the second. The Dogs would get their feet under them a couple of minutes later on a good shift in the zone by Brandon McReynolds, Logan Savard and Liam Conrad as they kept the puck deep and won a series of battles down low to hem the Vees in. Reinforcements would arrive off the bench, and the puck would end up in the back of the net seconds later as Josh Adkins fed it back to the left point for Taylor Derynck, who threw a puck on goal that was deflected home through the five hole of Anthony Brodeur by Nathan Dingmann for his first career goal at 9:20 of the second to make it a 2-1 game. The Dogs would have a glorious opportunity to get the equalizer shortly afterwards when Garrett Halls was cut by a Vees high stick, resulting in a four minute power play. The Dogs weren't able to connect on it, with the best chance actually going to the Vees as Scott Conway raced up ice and intercepted a cross-ice pass off a faceoff win. Chris Tai would make the save, and then get some help with his defence sliding back and knocking the net off before Conway knocked the rebound in as the Referee waved what would have been a killer goal for the Vees off. The Dogs earned another power play late in the period but once again couldn't capitalize as the Vees carried the 2-1 lead into the third period. Shots in the second favoured the Bulldogs 9-7 for a 40 minute advantage of 20-19.
The Dogs began the third with a short power play looking to draw even, but were unable to capitalize. Shortly afterwards the Vees would get the critical insurance marker as Gabe Bast took a cross-ice pass on the rush from Taylor Ward in the right circle and fired it low, short-side off the post and in past Tai to make it 3-1 just 3:02 into the third. The Bulldogs would push - but not until it was too late, generating a couple crazy scrambles around the Vees net after pulling their goalie with 1:40 and change to play in the third period. They came close to making it a one goal game on a couple occasions - one even saw the goal judge turn the red light on. Might have been an itchy trigger finger as the Dogs didn't appear to protest.
Third period shots favoured the Dogs 8-4 for a game total favouring the Dogs 28-23. Special teams were a big difference again in this one, with the Dogs going 0 for 6 on the power play, and the Vees going 1 for 2. Chris Tai took the loss in net but played strong, while Anthony Brodeur picked up the win.
The Dogs conclude their appearance in the Showcase tomorrow at 10:00am when they face the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, who also lost their Showcase appearance today 3-2 to Langley.
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