GAME DAY: GM #44 Vees vs. Wenatchee Wild

hoto: Cherie Morgan

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 7:00 pm PST

Location: SOEC

Radio: Bounce 800 am

Webcast: Hockey TV 

Penticton Vees

GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

2022-23: GP 43 39-3-0-1, 1^st Interior Conference

Home: 20-0-0-0

Away: 19-3-0-1

GF: 225

GA: 77

Power Play: 36.6% (1)

Penalty Kill: 84.2% (3)

Top Scorer: Bradly Nadeau (35-47-82)

Last Game: The Penticton Vees extended their win streak to four games after their 5-1 Family Day win over the Cranbrook Bucks at the SOEC. The Vees’ power play scored three times on Monday afternoon, with all three goals coming in the second period during a five-minute man advantage. Bradly and Josh Nadeau combined for six points in the victory. Bradly had a pair of goals to go along with one assist. Josh had a goal and two helpers. Dovar Tinling had a two-point afternoon, as he chipped in with a goal and an assist. The Vees outshot the Bucks 35-19 and finished the five-game season series with a 4-1-0-0 record.

Tonight’s Game: Tonight, is the fifth and final game of the season series with the Wild. Penticton has won three of four encounters with Wenatchee this season. These two teams last met back on December 16^th, when the Vees picked up a 5-1 win at the SOEC. The Vees are looking for their fifth-straight win and second five-game win streak since the Christmas break.

Wenatchee Wild

General Manager: Bliss Littler

Head Coach: Chris Clark

2022-23: GP 45 22-20-1-2, 6th Interior Conference

Home: 14-6-1-1

Away: 8-14-0-1

GF: 154

GA: 160

Power Play: 20.7% (8)

Penalty Kill: 79% (9)

Top Scorer: Ean Samoza 16-43-59

Last Game: The Wild picked up their third-straight win last Saturday, sweeping the Cranbrook Bucks in a weekend doubleheader with a 4-2 victory at Town Toyota Center. That on the heals of their 3-2 shootout win over the Bucks one night earlier. In their win Saturday, Wenatchee opened the scoring 22 seconds into the game courtesy of Micah Berger. They led 2-0 after 20 minutes and that scored held into the third period, where the two teams each scored twice. Luke Weilandt secured the win with an empty-net goal with 63 seconds left.

Outlook: Wenatchee has been one of the better teams in the Interior Conference in the last month. The Wild have won six of their last seven games and eight of their last 12. That run has helped them climb to sixth in the Interior Conference and they are just two points back of fifth place Salmon Arm and four points behind 4th place Prince George. The top four teams in the standings secure home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Ean Somoza has had a great season for the Wild. The 19-year-old Wenatchee forward is fourth in BCHL scoring with 59 points in 45 games. The Simi Valley, California, product is committed to Western Michigan. Somoza has already surpassed his point total from last season, where he collected 53 points in 49 games with the Wild, after starting the season in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede. Calgary Flames prospect and captain, Cade Littler, is not far behind with 51 points in 42 games. Littler leads the team with 23 goals.

Line Ups

Vees

Wild