Weekend Preview: Vees host Blackfalds, Okotoks at the SOEC to kick-off second half
Photo: Island Images / Damon James
WEEKEND BROADCAST INFORMATION
Location: South Okanagan Events Centre
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 27, 21-6-0-0, 42 pts (2nd, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 5-2 win vs. West Kelowna, December 13
Home: 9-1-0-0
Away: 12-5-0-0
GF: 106
GA: 70
Power Play: 23/90 (25.6%, 5th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 58/74 (78.4%, 8th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (12-18-30)
The Penticton Vees return from the BCHL holiday break this weekend with a pair of home games at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC) as they host Blackfalds Saturday and Okotoks on Sunday afternoon.
Penticton closed out a successful official first half on December 14th, with a convincing 5-2 victory over the West Kelowna Warriors. The victory helped the Vees remain in a tie atop the BCHL standings alongside the Brooks Bandits with 44 points and extend their current win streak to seven games.
Penticton, 22-6-0-0 through 28 games, remains with just one loss on the ledger at the SOEC. They carry a 9-1-0-0 record into a home heavy back half of the schedule and will look to capitalize on the SOEC being an extremely difficult place for opposing teams to play.
The Vees finally have reinforcements coming on their blueline, as Michael Fisher returns from an upper-body injuries from October. Captain Conyr Hellyer is back from suffering an injury after a hit from West Kelowna defenseman Luca Graziano on December 14th. Graziano was assessed a match penalty and assessed a 2-game suspension by the BCHL Department of Player Safety as a result.
“Christmas break came at a time when physically and mentally it was needed, but at the same time our team was trending in the right direction. We understand that we need to get back to that same level of play coming out of the break, if we want an opportunity to keep pace with the elite teams in the league,” said Vees’ President, GM, and Head Coach Fred Harbinson.
Entering Saturday’s contest against the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Penticton has lost just once since November 5th, winning 11 of their past 12 contests to keep pace atop the BCHL Standings. The top two lines have contributed monumentally over the months of November and December and will be called upon to continue to produce in the new year.
Penticton concludes the weekend with a game tomorrow against Okotoks at 4:00 pm
Blackfalds Bulldogs
Head Coach: Ryan Tobler
2024-25 Record: GP 26, 2-23-1-0, 5 PTS (11th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 7-2 Loss at Trail, December 14th
Home: 1-12-1-0
Away: 1-11-0-0
GF: 62
GA: 132
Power Play: 15/93 (16.1%, 18th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 66/87 (75.9%, 18th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Matthew Croxall (8-6-14)
The inaugural BCHL season has been a struggle to say the least for the Blackfalds Bulldogs. With just two wins and five points in 26 games, they come out of their holiday break with a new coach and a new direction after Owner and Head Coach Doug Quinn stepped down from coaching duties on December 21st. Associate Coach Ryan Tobler has been promoted to Head Coach and will take over a Bulldogs team in dire need of a fresh start.
There has been significant roster turnover in Blackfalds. Since these two teams last met, the Bulldogs have seen 13 players leave and 14 players come in. That was just 56 days ago. The Bulldogs have only have eight players from that game on November 1st playing again tonight.
Okotoks Oilers
General Manager & Head Coach:
2024-25 Record: GP 25, 11-14-0-0
Last Game: 9-5 Loss at Sherwood Park, December 14th
Home: 9-4-0-0
Away: 2-10-0-0
GF: 75
GA: 101
Power Play: 8/86 (9.3%, 21st in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 69/95 (72.6%, 21st in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Brett Wilson (8-12-20)
Sunday’s opponent for Penticton, the Okotoks Oilers, arrive to the SOEC Sunday after a long travel day having played in Trail Saturday night. Okotoks has struggled on the road, as they have just two wins away from home. A tough second half starts for them Saturday in Trail as they look to push their way into the Interior Conference Playoff picture and battle for the final playoff spots with the likes of Vernon and West Kelowna.
Okotoks is led on the scoresheet by 18-year-old Brett Wilson, who has eight goals and 20 points (8-12-20) in 25 games this season. The Calgary native and Bemidji State University commit scored in the Oilers’ last contest on December 14th in Sherwood Park and will be a key factor in the playoff push for the Oilers down the stretch.
Swedish goaltender Simon Westling handled goaltending duties in each of the past two contests for Okotoks prior to the holiday break and has split time recently with 20-year-old Olivier Ciarlo in the crease for the Oilers.
Puck drop is slated for 6:00 pm Saturday against Blackfalds and 4:00pm Sunday against Okotoks, both from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. You can follow all the action with Fraser Rodgers, Matt Fraser and Tim Hogg live on Bounce 800AM on the IHeartRadio app and FloHockey!