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Nadeau brothers stoke fire for Penticton Vees in 2-1 playoff win over Spruce Kings

Kings drop opener of best-of-seven BCHL Interior Conference semifinal series, Game 2 set for Saturday
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The brothers Nadeau are two years apart in age but they were joined at the hip when it counted most for the Penticton Vees.

Just when it looked like the Vees were heading into overtime in their series-opening game against the Prince George Spruce Kings, 16-year-old Bradly Nadeau spotted his 18-year-old brother Josh unchecked cruising in on the right wing with a clear lane to the net. Kings goalie Jordan Fairlie dove across the crease as the Penticton left winger fanned on the shot but he regained possession and fired it in over Fairlie’s outstretched body with just 4.9 seconds left in regulation time.

It gave the Vees a 2-1 win Thursday in Game 1 of the BCHL Interior Conference semifinal series in front of a home crowd of 3,002 at South Okanagan Events Centre.

It was a heartbreaking end for the Spruce Kings, who played well enough defensively but lacked the offence needed to beat the BCHL’s regular-season champions, who outshot the Kings 34-25.

“We made too many errors to win,” said Kings head coach Alex Evin. “We played hard, did some good things, but we had too many mistakes. We had two turnovers (which led to the winning goal).

“We didn’t have the puck enough, we gave it to the other team too much. When you turn it over it’s hard to get momentum because you’re playing defence in your d-zone and you’re just trying to get it deep and line change so it’s really hard to grab momentum back.”

The Nadeau brothers were also in on the first Penticton goal with 21 seconds remaining in the second period. Just when it looked like the Spruce Kings were going to get out of the period with a 1-0 lead, the Vees took the puck in deep and Josh was knocked to his knees when he got checked by a Kings’ defender. But the Penticton native, a University of Maine recruit, held on to the puck and let go a shot from a sharp angle. Fairlie made the save and the rebound was left for Bradly, and he chipped the puck high into the net.

Seconds before the period ended, Luc Laylin, who had four goals and seven points in the Kings’ series win over the Cranbrook Bucks, intercepted a clearing shot in the Vees’ end and almost restored the Prince George lead. But Laylin’s shot was stopped by Kaeden Lane.

Simon Labelle and Nick Rheaume, who form the Kings’ top scoring line with first-round overtime hero Rowan Miller, rekindled their scoring chemistry for the opening goal of the series six minutes in. Rheaume’s shot from the point was stopped but the puck came loose for Labelle. He shifted wide of the crease and slid the puck along the ice through the legs of Vees’ goalie Lane.

The Kings had their moments around the Penticton goal but created only a few quality chances. The came out with a strong start in the third period and gained traction, forcing Lane to make some good saves in tight traffic, but were unable to sustain it.

“It was close, two good teams playing and we were a shot away, a bounce away, a mistake away, and that’s the way it’s going t go, it looks like, for the series,” said Evin. “We’ll learn from it and move on.”

Fairlie, who came in to replace the injured Aaron Trotter eight minutes into the third period in the sixth and deciding game of the Cranbrook series last Saturday, drew his first start of the playoffs. Trotter, who was under concussion protocol earlier in the week after his helmet was knocked off in a goalmouth collision with Cranbrook Bucks forward Zeth Kindrachuk, was on Spruce Kings’ bench for Thursday’s game.

The best-of-seven series pits the top two defensive teams in the BCHL against each other. The Vees averaged just 2.27 goals against in 54 regular season games and the Spruce Kings (2.38 GAA) were not far off that pace.

The Vees held the edge in play in the first period and took advantage of couple power-play chances to generate some heat on the Prince George goal. Fairlie’s best save of the period came with about four minutes left when he slid across the crease and stuck out his glove to deny Suniev from the deep slot.

Fairlie continued to hold a hot hand in an evenly-played second period and he made a pair of highlight-reel stops to preserve that lead. The 19-year-old from Fort St. John was ready with his glove when Josh Nadeau, the Vees’ leading goal scorer with 40 in 54 games, went wide on Colton Cameron and let go a labeled wrister eight minutes into the second. Fairlie’s flexibility was put to the test a few minutes later when he got down to smother a goalmouth shot from Adam Eisele, then dropped his arm to block Eisele’s rebound attempt.

Suniev had a hard shot ring the goalpost with 5:30 left in the third period.

The Kings’ depth in goal rang true again Thursday. Trotter or Fairlie ranked first and third respectively in the BCHL in goals-against average and they proven themselves as capable starters on any given night.

“Both those guys had solid seasons and they should have all the confidence in the world playing,” said Evin. “The team, obviously, has a lot of confidence in whoever’s in the net and Jordy proved it today. We’re proud of how he played, he gave us a chance.”

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Saturday (7 p.m.) in Penticton.

LOOSE PUCKS: The series began a day early to allow for an Alice Cooper concert Friday night at South Okanagan Events Centre. Games 3 and 4 will be played Monday and Tuesday at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena. Game 5, if needed, would be played Thursday in Penticton, with Game 6 set for Prince George next Saturday. Game 7 is scheduled for Monday in Penticton… The Vees are without their captain, former Spruce Kings centre Finlay Williams, who suffered a season-ending lower-body injury Jan. 1 in a game against West Kelowna. At the time of his injury, the 18-year-old University of Michigan recruit was second in team scoring with 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points in 27 games… Three Vees were named this week to the BCHL all-star/all-rookie teams, including goalie Lane (first all-star team), winger Josh Nadeau (second all-star team) and defenceman Ryan Hopkins (all-rookie)… Three Prince George minor hockey products – goalie Michael Garteig, defenceman Campbell Blair and centre Joey Potskin have been selected for the BCHL’s 60th anniversary team.

 

BCHL playoffs

Interior Conference semifinal

Prince George Spruce Kings. vs. Penticton Vees

(Vees led best-of-seven series 1-0)

Game 1

Thursday summary

Spruce Kings 1 at Vees 2

First Period

1. Prince George, Labelle 4 (Rheaume) 6:16

Penalties – Doyle Pen (slashing) 9:48, LeFranc PG (slashing) 13:44.

Second Period

2. Penticton, B.Nadeau 2 (J.Nadeau, Eisele) 19:39

Penalties – None.

Third Period

3. Penticton, J.Nadeau 3 (B.Nadeau, Niedermeyer) 19:55

Penalties – None.

Shots on goal by

Prince George    4             10           11           -25

Penticton             10           11           13           34

Goal - Prince George, Fairlie (L,1-1); Penticton, Lane (W,5-1).

Power plays – PG: 0-1; Pen: 0-2.

Referees – Mitchell Gibbs, Dustin Minty; Linesmen – Bobby Williamson Trevor Nolan.

Attendance – 3,002.