GAME DAY: GM 4 Vees at Wenatchee Wild

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 6:00 pm PDT

Location: Town Toyota Center, Wenatchee

Radio: Bounce 800 am

Webcast: Hockey TV 

Penticton Vees

GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

2023 Playoffs: GP 7 7-0

Home: 4-0

Away: 3-0

GF: 41

GA: 11

Power Play: 37% (10/27)

Penalty Kill: 77.8% (14/18)

Scoring Leader: Bradly Nadeau (10G-6A-16PTS)

Playoff Series

GM 1: 3-1 W vs. Wenatchee (Apr. 14)

GM 2: 7-0 W vs. Wenatchee (Apr. 15)

GM 3: 3-1 W @ Wenatchee (Apr. 18)

GM 4: Apr. 19 @ Wenatchee, 6:00 pm

GM 5: April 21 vs. Wenatchee, 7:00 pm*

GM 6: April 22 @ Wenatchee, 6:00 pm*

GM 7: April 25 vs. Wenatchee, 7:00 pm*

* If necessary

Game 3 Recap: Penticton turned in a hard-fought road effort on Tuesday night, as they took Game 3 3-1 and now have a 3-0 series lead. The road ‘W’ was backed by strong goaltending, as Luca Di Pasquo stopped 32 of 33 shots and was named first star.

All the scoring was done in the first period, as the Vees led 3-1 after 20 minutes. Spencer Smith, Josh Nadeau and Nic DeGraves all scored before the 10 minutes mark, as the Vees went up 3-0. Wenatchee’s Cade Littler scored with just nine seconds left in the first to get the Wild on the scoreboard. Penticton locked it down after that and Di Pasquo kicked out the final 22 shots he faced over the last 40 minutes.

The Vees played with just 11 forwards in Game 3, missing Thomas Pichette (day-to-day) and Aydar Suniev. Defenceman Ryan Hopkins also did not dress due to injury.

Tonight: It’s cliché but the fourth game is always the hardest to win. Penticton looks to close out the series tonight in Game 4. A win and the Vees punch their ticket to the Interior Conference Final.

Going back to Round 1, Trail proved to be tough out in Game 4, as that game was scoreless up until the 15-minute mark of the second. The Smoke Eaters got great goaltending that game and they played desperate. Penticton should expect no different tonight.

Line up looks to be the same for the Vees, as they dress 11 forwards and six defencemen. Luca Di Pasquo has been lights out in this series, posting a 3-0 record with a 0.67 goals-against average and .974 save percentage.

Wenatchee Wild

General Manager: Bliss Littler

Head Coach: Chris Clark

2023 Playoffs: GP 9 4-5

Home: 3-1

Away: 1-4

GF: 24

GA: 28

Power Play: 21.7% (5/23)

Penalty Kill: 91.2% (31/34)

Scoring Leader: Parker Murray (13G-0A-13PTS)

Round One Recap: The 7th-seeded Wild “upset” the 2nd-seeded Cranbrook Bucks in their opening round series. The Wild knocked off the Bucks in six games to advance to Round Two. A big reason why is hulking forward Parker Murray. The 6’5, 225-pound winger had 12 goals in just six games. He started the series against Cranbrook by posting back-to-back four-goal games. He scored a goal in every game of the series. Murray leads the BCHL Playoffs in goals and points. His line mate, Ean Somoza, leads the BCHL in assists with 10 and is tied for second in BCHL Playoff scoring. Another key piece for the Wild his goaltender Andy Vlaha. The 19-year-old was lights-out against Cranbrook, as he posted a .930 save percentage over six games.

Tonight: Simple objective tonight for the Wild, win to keep the season going. For the first time in the BCHL Playoffs, Wenatchee is facing elimination.

Penticton handed the Wild their first loss on home ice in the postseason last night, as Wenatchee was 3-0 at the Town Toyota Centre before Game 3.

Wenatchee will look to find a way generate more offence, as they’ve scored just twice in three games and have just one even strength goal in this series. The top line of Parker Murray, Ean Somoza, and Garrett Szydlowski has been held in check. In Round 1 against Cranbrook, the three combined for 13 goals and 28 points in six games. Through four games against the Vees, the three have combined for a goal and two points.