Weekend Preview: Panthers retro weekend against Salmon Arm, Cranbrook

Photo: Cherie Morgan

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Location: South Okanagan Events Centre

Radio: Bounce 800 AM

Webcast: Flo Hockey

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Penticton Vees 

President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

2024-25 Record: GP 32 24-6-2-0, 50 pts (1st, Interior Conference)

Last Game: 3-2 overtime loss vs. Trail (Jan. 4)

Home: 11-1-2-0

Away: 13-5-0-0

GF: 124

GA: 82

Power Play: (25/103) 24.3% 5th BCHL

Penalty Kill: (19/84) 77.4% 11th BCHL

Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (14-21-35)

The Penticton Vees kick off Retro Weekend at the SOEC Friday night with a visit from the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. It’s the fourth meeting of the season between the Vees and the ‘Backs. The Vees have won two of three thus far against their rivals from the North Shuswap and look to continue an extremely strong run that’s seen them collect points in 11 straight games dating back to November 23rd. Their last regulation loss came at the hands of Salmon Arm, on November 22nd, by a 2-1 score. 

While on that 11-game point streak, the Vees have found results while playing shorthanded in some capacity in almost every single one of those 11 games. Recently they’ve gone with as few as nine forwards due to injury and absence and have still found ways to gather points and remain atop the BCHL standings entering play on January 10th. They will receive a boost this weekend as it is expected that both Simon Meier (WJHC) will return to the lineup Friday against the Silverbacks. Matthew Biotti, out with a lower body injury since September, is also nearing a return as he will take warm up.

In the crease for Penticton it is expected to be Ethan Buenaventura between the pipes as he takes his turn in the rotation that’s worked so well for the Vees since his arrival in mid-November. Buenaventura remains undefeated in regulation since arriving in Penticton, posting six wins and an overtime loss and only allowing 15 goals in his seven appearances.

Penticton will celebrate the Penticton Panthers era (1990-2004) this weekend with special edition jerseys for both games, retro pricing on tickets and throwback game presentations and music inside the SOEC. More than two dozen alumni from the era, including future NHL Hall of Famer Duncan Keith will be in attendance and will be celebrated in a pre-game ceremony Saturday night ahead of the team’s contest with the Cranbrook Bucks.  

 

Salmon Arm Silverbacks

Season Series

October 11th, Salmon Arm 2 at Penticton 4

November 9th, Penticton 5 at Salmon Arm 2

November 22nd, Penticton 1 at Salmon Arm 2

January 10th, Salmon Arm at Penticton

February 21st, Penticton at Salmon Arm

March 29th, Salmon Arm at Penticton

Head Coach & General Manager: Tyler Shattock 

2024-25 Record: GP 33, 19-9-5-0, 43 PTS (4th, Interior Conference) 

Last Game: 4-1 loss at Okotoks, January 4th  

Home: 9-4-2-0 

Away: 10-5-3-0 

GF: 92 (17th in BCHL) 

GA: 87 (3rd in BCHL) 

Power Play: 20/94 (21.3%, 11th in BCHL) 

Penalty Kill: 74/98 (75.5%, 17th in BCHL) 

Scoring Leader: Dakota MacIntosh (13-16-29) 

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks visit the SOEC for the second time this season on Friday night to kick off Penticton’s Retro Weekend. The season series between the Vees and Silverbacks has been hotly contested through three contests, with the ‘Backs winning the last meeting by a 2-1 score on November 22nd. A fast paced, energetic hockey club, the Silverbacks continue to keep pace in the top third of the BCHL standings alongside Penticton, Brooks, Trail and Chilliwack. While they maintain the fifth spot in the BCHL’s overall standings and fourth in the Interior Conference, it’s been a struggle recently for the Silverbacks in the results department. They’ve won just four of their past 10 games, including a pair of losses to Blackfalds in overtime and Okotoks in regulation last weekend on an Alberta road trip. They did best the Brooks Bandits to begin that road trip, 4-3 in a shootout on New Years Day.  

Recently acquired Dakota MacIntosh is likely to make his Silverbacks debut Friday at the SOEC. Acquired from the Chilliwack Chiefs on January 6th, MacIntosh takes over the team lead in scoring upon arrival with 29 points (13-16-29) and will slot in comfortably in Salmon Arm’s top 6 forward group to add another dangerous element to an already loaded arsenal. The dynamic 20-year-old from Winnipeg, MB, will play on his fourth team in three seasons after previous stints with Alberni Valley, Blackfalds and most recently the Chilliwack Chiefs.  

Andrew Ballantyne has done the heavy lifting in the crease for the Silverbacks as of late, taking over as the full-time starter on December 1st when goaltending partner Ryan Grout left the team to join the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. Ballantyne, a veteran of 50 BCHL starts, has shown well in 2024/25 sporting a 2.56 GAA and .916% save percentage in 19 appearances. 

 

Cranbrook Bucks 

Season Series:  

November 15th, Penticton 4 at Cranbrook 3

January 11th, Cranbrook at Penticton

March 21st, Penticton at Cranbrook

March 28th, Cranbrook at Penticton

General Manager & Head Coach: Ryan Donald

2024-25 Record: GP 31, 17-13-1-0 

Last Game: 6-1 loss at Brooks, January 4th 

Home: 9-8-0-0 

Away: 8-5-1-0 

GF: 112 

GA: 94 

Power Play: 30/126 (23.8%, 6th in BCHL) 

Penalty Kill: 93/105 (88.6%, 2nd in BCHL) 

Scoring Leader: Jacob Fletcher (7-27-34) 

The Bucks will make their first trip of the season into the SOEC Saturday, the second half of a road trip that sees them play in Trail against the rival Smoke Eaters on Friday night. Cranbrook enters play this weekend on a bit of a see-saw in recent weeks, trading wins and losses since December 7th. Last weekend saw them split a home and away series with the Brooks Bandits, winning 5-4 in a shootout at home on January 3rd before losing the return trip the next night by a 6-1 score.  

Cranbrook thrives with their special teams on display, both ranking in the top third in the BCHL by the numbers. They’ve drawn the third most power play opportunities in the BCHL through their 31 games, and boast the league’s sixth ranked powerplay, converting at nearly 24% efficiency. 

Jacob Fletcher leads the Bucks attack in the points department with 34 (7-24-31), alongside captain and Nelson, BC product Bryce Sookro (7-26-33) and Finnish import Rasmus Svartstrom (24-7-31). Svarstrom, a 19-year-old BCHL rookie from Helsinki, Finland, leads the league in goals with 24 and consistently finds the scoresheet for the Bucks on a nightly basis while Sookro leads the BCHL in scoring by defensemen and is the only rear guard inside the top 20 in BCHL scoring. 

Like Penticton, Cranbrook often uses a rotation in their goal crease to ensure both rookie Jaden Cholette and 19-year-old Miles Roberts each get starts and stay sharp throughout the season. Cholette has made 18 appearances while Roberts has made 14, and if the rotation continues for Cranbrook it will be Roberts whom the Vees see in the Bucks crease Saturday night at the SOEC after Cholette plays Friday night in Trail.