Game Preview: GM #39 vs. Prince George
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 6:00 pm PST
Location: South Okanagan Events Centre
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
Oct. 11 Prince George 2 at Penticton 5
Nov. 17 Prince George 1 at Penticton 8
Dec. 1 Prince George 0 at Penticton 4
Jan. 5 Penticton 4 at Prince George 7
Jan. 6 Penticton 3 at Prince George 1
Feb. 10 Prince George at Penticton, 6:00 pm PST
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Record : GP 38 27-7-2-2, 58 PTS (1st, Interior)
Last Game: 4-0 win at Merritt (Feb. 4)
Home: 16-2-0-0
Away: 11-5-2-2
GF: 145
GA: 83
Power Play: (41/131) 31.3% 1st
Penalty Kill: (24/108) 77.8% 9th
Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (20-17-37)
The Vees look for their fourth-straight win tonight, as they play host to the Spruce Kings for the fourth and final time in the regular season.
Penticton is coming off a 4-0 road win over the Merritt Centennials on Sunday. Callum Arnott and James Fisher scored twice in that victory. Will Ingemann made 22 saves as he picked up his third shutout of the season. It was a weekend sweep for the Vees, as they beat Salmon Arm 5-2 last Friday.
Tonight, is one of just three home games this month for the Vees. Five of their eight games in February are on the road. This is Penticton’s first home game since January 27th, when they scored a 4-1 win over the Surrey Eagles.
The Vees made one trade ahead of today’s BCHL trade deadline, sending 16-year-old forward Jack Bakker to the Sherwood Park Crusaders for future considerations. Penticton’s roster now sits at 25 players: three goaltenders, eight defenceman, and 14 forwards.
Tonight, is the sixth and final regular season meeting between the two teams. The Vees have won four of the previous five match ups, including all three at the SOEC. In fact, the Vees have outscored the Spruce Kings 17-3 in their three wins at home.
Thomas Pichette has 10 points (5G, 5A) in five games against Prince George. Callum Arnott is second with six points (1G, 5A).
The Vees are 15-2-0-0 at the SOEC this season and 22-6-2-1 against the Interior.
Prince George Spruce Kings
GM: Mike Hawes
Head Coach: Alex Evin
2023-24 : GP 38 13-22-3-0 (8th, Interior)
Last Game: 5-2 loss at Salmon Arm (Feb. 10)
Home: 10-9-2-0
Away: 3-13-1-0
GF: 107
GA: 163
Power Play: 37/151 24.5% (3)
Penalty Kill: 36/133 72.9% (15)
Scoring Leader: Kilian McGregor-Bennett (14-12-26)
The Spruce Kings opened the weekend with a 5-2 loss in Salmon Arm on Friday. Owen Goodbrand opened the scoring for Prince George in the first period on the power play, but Salmon Arm then rattled off five straight goals to pull away.
Prince George comes into Saturday’s game sitting eighth in the Interior Conference, three points back of seventh place Merritt.
The Spruce Kings have had their share of struggles on the road, registering just three road wins in 17 games. PG is in the middle of a five-game stretch away from home, as they have a three-game island trip on Family Day long weekend next week. The Spruce Kings’ 36 goals on the road is the fewest of any team in the BCHL, as they are averaging just two goals per game.