RECAP: Vees Edge Giants 3-2 in OT

Category: ArticleOctober 2, 2026

Penticton, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants picked up a single point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Penticton Vees on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

The Giants record now sits at 2-1-1-0 through four games, while the Vees improve to 3-2-0-0.

Vancouver entered the final frame up 2-1 thanks to goals from Jakob Oreskovic (1st) and Mathis Preston (2nd), but Graham Jones tied the game 2-2 early in the third and then scored the game-winner less than a minute into the 3-on-3 overtime.

Oliver Bryks stopped 18 of 21 shots in the Giants crease.

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GAME SUMMARY

Oreskovic didn’t need long to open the scoring, cleaning up the garbage in front of the net at the 6:58 mark of the first period.

1-0 Giants 😄 pic.twitter.com/VFQ4dDc3tF

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 3, 2026

Tyler Deakos tied the game late in the first period 1-1 off a backdoor pass from Gavin Katz.

Midway through the second period, the Giants scored off the rush once more, executing on a 3-on-2 when Crosby Mateychuk got the puck to Blake Chorney in the left circle, who threw the biscuit across the crease to Preston, who made no mistake for his second goal of the early season.

Preston gets us the lead pic.twitter.com/zZTQvP41ig

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) October 3, 2026

The Vees pushed back in the third period and were rewarded with a goal from Jones at the 5:24 mark.

In overtime, the new ‘no-return’ rule came into play, as the officials blew the play dead after Preston was forced back out to centre. Off the ensuing defensive zone faceoff, Jones took the puck to the net himself and slipped it threw the five-hole of Bryks for the game-winning-goal.

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN —7/7/2/0 = 16 | PEN – 6/6/8/1 = 21
PP: VAN—0/4 | PEN— 0/2
Face-Offs: VAN —28 | PEN — 28

3 STARS

1st: PEN – Graham Jones – 2G (incl. GWG), 5 SOG, +2
2nd: PEN – Tyler Deakos – 1G, 1 SOG
3rd: VAN – Mathis Preston – 1G, 3 SOG

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Oliver Bryks (OT LOSS – 18 saves / 21 shots)
Penticton: AJ Reyelts (OT WIN – 14 saves / 16 shots)

UPCOMING

The Giants host the Swift Current Broncos for Oktoberfest on Saturday night at LEC at 7 p.m. PT.