The Penticton Vees fell by a 3-1 score to the Medicine Hat Tigers in a tightly contested Monday night battle at the South Okanagan Events Centre. 

The Vees fall to 7-5-2 on the season with the loss. 

The Vees opened the scoring once again on Monday with a powerplay goal from Brady Birnie for his fifth of the season at 13:26 of the first period. That would be all the scoring in a defensive first period that saw the shots read 8-4 for the Tigers. 

Local product Markus Ruck would tie the game up for Medicine Hat at 2:03 of the second period off a rebound for his second of the season. The Tigers almost took the lead with eight seconds left in the period but Morgan Tastad made a great defensive play to tie a stick up in front to send the game to the third even at one.  

The Tigers got a powerplay two minutes into the final frame and it would be the other Ruck twin, Liam, who would score the game winner with the man advantage making the score 2-1. 

The Vees hit a crossbar and had three to four golden chances in the last five minutes but were unable to solve Jordan Switzer. The Tigers would add an empty netter on a scramble play in front of the Vees net to make the final 3-1. 

The Vees killed four of their five penalties on the night to continue their solid PK as of late. 

The next home game for the Vees will be Wednesday, Nov. 5 against the Kelowna Rockets, a game in which they will wear their alternate jerseys for the first time. 

 

GAME STATS

Shots:

Vees- 26

Tigers- 30

 

Scoring:

Vees- Brady Birnie

Tigers- Markus Ruck, Liam Ruck, Ethan Neutens

 

Power Plays:

Vees- 1/4

Tigers- 1/5

 

Goaltending:

Vees- AJ Reyelts – 27/29

Tigers- Jordan Switzer – 25/26

 

Up Next: The Vees head on the road for two in Victoria on Saturday, Nov. 1 and Sunday Nov. 2.