The Penticton Vees picked up where they left off following the Christmas break skating to a 6-4 victory over the Rockets in Kelowna for their fifth win in their last six games. 

The Vees climb to 17-9-4-3 on the season and sit in third in the West following the victory. 

Louie Wehmann took a pass from Matteo Danis and tucked the puck home just under four minutes into the game for his sixth of the season to give the Vees the lead. 

Brady Birnie fired a puck glove-high, in his 300th career game, to make the score 2-0 but the Rockets would counter late in the first on a high-slot shot from Shane Smith to make the score 2-1 heading into the break. 

Jacob Kvasnicka returned to the Vees lineup and made an immediate impact batting home his 15th of the season on the powerplay making the score 3-1. 

The Rockets would continue the back-and-forth game with Smith striking for his second of the night and 20th of the season. 

Wehmann went five-hole for his second of the night taking a pass from new Vees defenceman Charlie Michaud and then Hayden Paupanekis answered for the Rockets to make it 4-3 heading into the final frame. 

Birnie deflected home his second of the night on a shot from Nolan Stevenson on the powerplay to give the Vees the 5-3 lead but once again the Rockets answered with Levi Benson scoring from in tight to make it 5-4 with just over one minute remaining. 

Danis would score into the empty net to put an end to any comeback attempts and the Vees grabbed the 6-4 victory. 

GAME STATS

Shots:

Vees- 36

Rockets- 27

 

Scoring:

Vees- Brady Birnie (2), Louie Wehmann (2), Jacob Kvasnicka, Matteo Danis

Rockets- Shane Smith (2), Hayden Paupanekis, Levi Benson

 

Power Plays:

Vees- 3/7

Rockets- 2/4

 

Goaltending:

Vees- AJ Reyelts- 23/27

Rockets- Harrison Boettiger- 30/35

 

Up Next: The Vees are back at the SEOC Dec. 30 at 6:35PM to host the Victoria Royals.