The Penticton Vees turned an early three-goal cushion into a fight to protect a one-goal lead, then finished off the Tri-City Americans 4-2 at the SOEC. Tri-City scored twice late in the second period to pull within one, but the Vees held on and added a goal toward the empty net. The win completed a weekend sweep for Penticton.
How the Game Played Out
Penticton struck first when Gavin Cats finished a centering feed from Tyler Decoste. The Vees kept pressing: Graham Jones scored on a shot after the puck came through the middle, and Berguson added another from the rush. The three goals gave the home side a commanding start, while Tri-City’s goaltender Went made saves on subsequent chances to keep the deficit from growing further.
The Americans found a response in the second. Owen Craft scored on the power play for his first WHL goal, cutting Penticton’s lead to 3-1 with 5:18 remaining in the period. Eli McCamey then scored in a four-on-four situation, bringing Tri-City within one at 3-2 with 4:31 left. Two goals in quick succession changed the feel of the game: what had looked like a comfortable Vees advantage was suddenly a close contest.
There was no easy route to the finish for either side. The Vees had chances for another goal, including a shot that Went stopped, while Tri-City threatened at the other end. A two-on-one chance for the Americans ended with a shot off the pipe, and Smith reached back to cover the puck and preserve Penticton’s narrow lead. Late in the game, a bouncing puck went toward the empty net and crossed the line for the Vees, sealing the 4-2 result.
What the Result Means
The Vees’ win gave them two straight victories and completed their weekend sweep, as the highlight call noted at the final whistle. It also showed how quickly the game could shift: Penticton built its advantage through early finishing, but the Americans made the second period tense with a power-play goal and McCamey’s four-on-four strike.
For Tri-City, the late push brought the game within reach, though the tying goal never came. The Vees had to respond to that pressure with timely stops and enough composure to protect the lead. The highlight does not provide standings information, so the clearest measure of the result is the sweep itself and the close finish after Penticton’s strong start.
Penticton will carry that weekend momentum forward, while Tri-City will look to build on the rally it produced in the second period.
Watch the Highlights
Watch the official WHL highlight video for the Vees’ early scoring, Tri-City’s second-period comeback push and Penticton’s late finish. The clips capture the key swings in a game that moved from a three-goal lead to a one-goal margin before the final empty-net score.
Final Score: Penticton Vees 4, Tri-City Americans 2.
Final Score: Penticton Vees 4, Tri-City Americans 2.
Source: WHL highlights video transcript + Highlightly match data