GAME DAY: BCHL Final, GM 2 Vees vs. Alberni Valley Bulldogs
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT
Location: SOEC
Radio: Bounce 800 am
Webcast: Hockey TV
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2023 Playoffs: GP 14 13-1
Home: 8-0
Away: 5-1
GF: 73
GA: 27
Power Play: 38% (19/50)
Penalty Kill: 87.8% (5/41)
Scoring Leader: Bradly Nadeau (17-14-31)
| Playoff Series vs. Alberni Valley | Season Series vs. Alberni Valley |
| GM 1 4-3 W vs. Alberni Valley (May 12) | 7-4 W vs. Alberni Valley (Oct. 20)* |
| GM 2 May 13 vs. Alberni Valley | 7-1 W at Alberni Valley (Nov. 25) |
| GM 3 May 16 at Alberni Valley | * BCHL Showcase |
| GM 4 May 17 at Alberni Valley | |
| GM 5 May 20 vs. Alberni Valley* | |
| GM 6 May 22 at Alberni Valley* | |
| GM 7 May 24 vs. Alberni Valley* |
*If necessary
Last Night: Penticton grabbed a 1-0 series lead with their 4-3 win in Game One against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs Friday night.
Defenceman Mason Poolman and forward Nic DeGraves each had a goal and an assist in the victory. Poolman scored his first career playoff goal and first since January 21, 2022. Josh Nadeau and Thomas Pichette had the other two goals for Penticton. Luca Di Pasquo made 33 saves for his 13th win of the BCHL postseason.
The Vees’ speciality teams had a strong showing. The power play was 1-1 and the penalty kill went 2-2.
The second period was the difference for the Vees, as they scored three in the middle frame, as they led 4-2 after 40 minutes. Big period considering it was 1-1 after 20 minutes and the Bulldogs scored the only goal in the third.
Game Two Preview: The Vees look for a 2-0 series lead in Game Two tonight. Penticton is 8-0 in the BCHL Playoffs at home and will look to extend that streak to nine. Penticton has won 42-straight games at the SOEC dating back to April 1, 2022.
Defenceman Ryan Hopkins did take warm up last night and will so again tonight. The Vees will dress 21 skaters. Luca Di Pasquo is back between the pipes and is 13-1. In the BCHL Playoffs, owning a 1.91 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
Josh Nadeau carries an 11-game point streak into tonight’s game. The Vees forward has 22 points during his streak. Frank Djurasevic extended his point streak to seven games with his assist last night.
The Vees have scored first in 12 of 14 games in the postseason and are 11-1 when doing so.
Alberni Valley Bulldogs
GM & Head Coach: Joe Martin
2023 Playoffs: GP 16 12-4
Home: 7-0
Away: 5-4
GF: 67
GA: 40
Power Play: 20.5% (8/39)
Penalty Kill: 81.6% (7/38)
Scoring Leader: Dakota MacIntosh (11-11-12)
Road to the Fred Page Cup: The Bulldogs have had an impressive run to their first ever BCHL Fred Page Cup Final appearance. Alberni Valley has lost just three times over the previous three rounds and have swept two of their three series.
The ‘Dogs beat the Chilliwack Chiefs to clinch their first Cliff McNabb Trophy has Coastal Conference champions. Alberni Valley came back from a 2-0 series deficit to beat the Surrey Eagles in seven games in Round Two. AVB knocked-off the Victoria Grizzlies in Round One.
Game Two Preview: Alberni Valley had their six-game win streak snapped in last night’s loss. Friday’s defeat was their first loss since April 21st, when they dropped Game Five to Surrey in Round Two.
The Bulldogs are looking to be the first team to grab a win at the SOEC this season. No easy feat, considering the Vees are undefeated on home ice. Alberni Valley is 5-4 on the road in the playoffs and were 13-11-3-0 away from home in the regular season.
Nicholas Beneteau had a pair of goals last night in the loss. Logan Holm has three assists in his last two games. Will Elger has four points (1G, 3A) in his last three.