Game Preview: GM #14 Vees vs. Blackfalds Bulldogs

Photo: Jack Murray

BROADCAST INFORMATION 

Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT 

Location: South Okanagan Events Centre 

Radio: Bounce 800 AM  

Webcast: Flo Hockey 

Season Series 

September 28, Penticton 4 at Blackfalds 1 

November 1, Blackfalds at Penticton, 7:00 pm PDT

December 28, Blackfalds at Penticton,  6:00 pm PST

January 25, Penticton at Blackfalds, 5:00 pm PST

Penticton Vees 

President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson 

2024-25 Record: GP 13, 10-3-0-0, 20 PTS (2nd, Interior Conference) 

Last Game: 5-4 OT Win vs Vernon, October 26th 

Home: 4-0-0-0 

Away: 6-3-0-0 

GF: 51 

GA: 36 

Power Play: 14 / 44 (31.8%, 2nd in BCHL) 

Penalty Kill: 28/ 35 (76.5%, 13th in BCHL) 

Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (6-8-14) 

The Penticton Vees kick off their annual Parents Weekend tonight and it’s Feed the Need night presented by IGA. The Vees are coming off a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Vernon last Saturday night, 5-4 in overtime. Brock Reinhart netted the winner on a highlight worthy move with just 16 seconds left on the clock to complete the comeback. Penticton was done 3-0 after 20 minutes, and were behind 4-3 going into the third in Saturday’s game.

Ryden Evers has pulled into a tie with linemate Anselmo Rego atop the scoring lead for the Vees with 14 points. Evers, a 2024 Fred Page Cup Champion as a part of the Surrey Eagles, has provided stability and presence to the top line for Penticton early this season. Playing alongside both Rego and Vees’ captain Conyr Hellyer, Evers has compiled five multi-point games already.

A much improved power play through the month of October has seen the Vees man advantage rocket to second in the BCHL. Through nine contests the man advantage clipped at almost 41 percent efficiency and scored in all but two of those nine games. 

Sharky Nowek will draw the start Friday for Penticton against Blackfalds. The 18-year-old local Penticton product has made one start this season, picking up his first BCHL win on October 20th in Spruce Grove. That start came at the end of a long three-week stretch of road trips that included over 3,000 kilometres on the bus for Penticton. Nowek made 34 saves against the Saints in that win.

Blackfalds Bulldogs 

Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations: Doug Quinn 

2024-25: GP 12 2-10-0-0, 4 PT (11th, Interior Conference) 

Last Game: 4-3 Win vs Brooks, October 26th 

Home: 1-6-0-0 

Away: 1-4-0-0 

GF: 30 

GA: 52 

Power Play: 7/47 (14.9%, 18th in BCHL) 

Penalty Kill: 33/45 (73.3%, 19th in BCHL) 

Scoring Leader: Joey Melo (4-5-9)  

The Blackfalds Bulldogs enter the SOEC for the first time after their biggest win of the season, as they took down the undefeated Brooks Bandits at Eagle Builders Centre last Saturday night. Aidan Souligny’s second period power play goal stood as the winner, as the Bulldogs led 4-1 after two periods and hung on against a deep Brooks team in the third period to pick up the win.  

It’s been a tough start for the Bulldogs in their inaugural BCHL season, who found themselves winless in their first eight contests. They’ve found some traction since the beginning of the BCHL Showcase on October 15th, winning two of four.

Newcomer Jared Langdon debuted for Blackfalds in their two games last weekend, collecting four points (3-1-4) including a pair of goals against Brooks. The 17-year-old, committed to Clarkson , began the season with the Omaha Lancers in the USHL before joining Blackfalds. Langdon played the last season with the Prince George Spruce Kings, collecting five goals and 13 points in 41 BCHL games. 

Goaltender Waylon Esche has seen action in all but one game this season for Blackfalds, earning decisions in 10 of the Bulldogs’ 12 games. The native of Utica, New York, has been the backbone of a struggling squad and brought his absolute best against Brooks when he made 43 saves in the win. He will surely get the nod Friday when they face the Vees.

Puck drop is set for 7:00pm PDT from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. You can follow all the action live on FloHockey or locally on radio beginning at 6:40pm PDT thanks to the official broadcast partners of the Penticton Vees, Bounce 800AM.