2017 RBC Cup

VEES WORK OVERTIME FOR WIN OVER HOSTS AT RBC CUP

JASON LA ROSE

COBOURG, Ont. – Taylor Sanheim ended it 6:29 into overtime Monday night, knocking in a no-look pass from Nicholas Jones to give the Penticton Vees a 3-2 win over the Cobourg Cougars in a thriller at the 2017 RBC Cup.

It was the second overtime in as many games for both teams, and both sit at three points – an overtime win and an overtime loss – midway through the preliminary round.

After the Vees weathered a storm from the Cougars early in overtime, Jones worked the puck down low and outmuscled a Cobourg defender behind the net before throwing a behind-the-back feed to Sanheim, who chipped the winner up and over Cougars goaltender Stefano Durante.

Sanheim finished with two goals and Chris Klack had the other for Penticton, while Spencer Roberts and Brennan Roy, on a late power play, replied for the Cougars.

For the second game in a row, the Vees were the recipients of an own goal to open the scoring; less than 30 seconds in, Cobourg defenceman Jesse Baird tried to rim the puck behind the net, only for it to hit a stanchion and bounce in off the backside of Durante for a quick 1-0 Penticton lead. Sanheim was credited with the goal.

That lead lasted until the late minutes of the second period when Roberts tied the game, jamming a loose puck through Vees netminder Mat Robson to make it 1-1 after 40 minutes.

Klack needed less than three minutes of the third period to restore the advantage for the BCHL champions, letting go a harmless-looking wrist shot from the high slot that found its way through traffic and past Durante.

The Cougars swarmed the Penticton net in the final five minutes, drawing a penalty and eventually tying the game when a shot from the top of the face-off circle by Roy hit a Vees stick in front and eluded Robson.

Cobourg kept up the pressure, including a crossbar in the dying moments, but couldn’t find the winner.

The Vees and Cougars are the first teams to go to overtime in each of their first two games at Canada’s National Junior A Championship since the Cougars de Lennoxville in 2003.

Penticton is off Tuesday before facing off against the Trenton Golden Hawks in the lone game Wednesday (3:30 p.m. ET), while Cobourg will be right back to action Tuesday night against the Cobras de Terrebonne (7:30 p.m. ET).