Four goals in a six minute span in the second blew things open as the Vees won a twenty second straight game to open the 2022-2023 season 7-1 Friday night at the Dawg Pound.
The game was scoreless through 20 minutes, with the Vees holding the early edge in the play, but the Bulldogs perhaps having the two best chances of the period as Luca Di Pasquo stopped Raoul Boilard with his right toe on a cross-crease set up, before coming up with a left toe save on a David Sacco breakaway attempt. Hobie Hedquist was sharp at the other end, stopping a Ben Brunette breakaway.
Penticton opened the scoring on a shot and a rebound just under five minutes into the second, with Spencer Smith potting a loose puck at the side of the net. The Bulldogs had a power play soon afterwards, but couldn’t convert on it despite several good looks. It was 2-0 at 8:27 of the period as a shot hit a Bulldog and bounced cross-ice onto the stick of Frank Djurasevic who made no mistake to deposit it into the open side. Just 42 seconds later it was 3-0, as Jackson Nieuwendyk scored on a deflection at the top of the crease. The Vees went up 4-0 on a fortunate bounce on a dump in that hit a seam in the boards and ended up on the top of Josh Nadeau, who tapped it home before Hobie Hedquist or his defence could locate it.
It was 5-0 just 10 seconds into the third, as Bradly Nadeau roofed a cross-ice pass from the slot over the blocker of Hedquist. The Vees added to their lead with five minutes gone in the period as Jackson Nieuwendyk scored his second of the game on a giveaway behind the net that he slid home inside the far post to make it 6-0. The Bulldogs spoiled Di Pasquo’s shut out bid on the power play with three minutes to play as Dakota MacIntosh threw it at the net off a Defender’s stick, where Matt Kursonis tucked it home to make it 6-1. The Vees concluded the scoring on a power play of their own with 30 seconds to play, as Jackson Nieuwendyk completed the hat trick over the glove of Hedquist from the slot to make it a 7-1 final.
Shots were 48-23 Vees, with Luca Di Pasquo earning 2nd star honours with the win while Hobie Hedquist took the loss. The Bulldogs went 1 for 6 on the power play, while the Vees went 1 for 4.
With the win, the Vees have now won 22 straight games to open the season. The loss snaps the Bulldog win streak at two, and they have now lost three straight at home.
The Bulldogs next see action on Friday, December 2nd when they host the Victoria Grizzlies for their annual Teddy Bear Toss.
Vees win 22nd straight, 7-1 over Bulldogs
