GAME DAY: Vees (2-1-0-1) vs. Smoke Eaters (1-1-2-0) Home Opener
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT
Location: SOEC
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Record : GP 4 2-1-0-1 (3rd, Interior)
Returning Players: 2
Home: 0-0-0-0
Away: 2-1-0-1
GF: 15
GA: 11
Power Play: 4/17 (23.5%)
Penalty Kill: 9/13 (69.2%)
Scoring Leader: Ryan MacPherson (5-2-7)
It’s the Penticton Vees home opener at the South Okanagan Events Centre. After four-straight on the road to open the season, the Vees return home to raise the curtain on their home schedule.
The Vees come into this season riding a 43-game home winning streak that dates back to April 1, 2022. That’s a BCHL record, as the Vees eclipsed the old mark of 42 set by the Surrey Eagles over two years (1996-1997). In fact, the Vees have not lost a home opener since September 10, 2004. Who was the opponent? The Trail Smoke Eaters of course.
Forward Ryan MacPherson has enjoyed a great start, as he was named the BCHL’s First Star for the month of September. MacPherson leads the league in goals (5) and points (7). He’s committed to University of New Hampshire and was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers, in the sixth round, in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Last season, the Vees posted a 5-0-0-0 record against Trail, with one win coming in the shootout. Over the last five seasons, the Vees are 11-2-0-0 at home against the Smokies.
Only lineup change for Penticton will be in goal, as the goaltending rotation continues. 19-year-old Andrew Ness will get the call between the pipes. Ness is 1-1 with a 3.34 goals-against average (GAA) and .873 save percentage (SV%)
TRAIL SMOKE EATERS
GM & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2023-24 : GP 4 1-1-2-0 (6th, Interior)
Returning Players: 11
Home: 1-0-2-0
Away: 0-1-0-0
GF: 15
GA: 18
Power Play: 1/16 (6.3%)
Penalty Kill: 10/14 (71.4%)
Scoring Leader: Max Potvin (2-3-5)
The Smoke Eaters split their games last weekend, winning at home against Salmon Arm (4-3) on Friday, before losing in West Kelowna (5-3) the following night. Excluding an empty-net goal in their loss to the Warriors, the first four games for the Smoke Eaters have been decided by just one goal. The opened the season with back-to-back overtime losses to Cranbrook and West Kelowna.
Maxim Potvin is one of 11 returning players that played the Vees in the opening round of the 2023 BCHL Playoffs, and he leads his team in scoring with five points (2-3-5) in four games. Ridge Dawson, who was limited to just 31 games last year due to injuries, is second with four points (1-3-4) in four games. Another returning player rounding out the top three is Josh Schenk. Schenk has three goals in three games.
Teagan Kendrick is back between the pipes and will get the bulk of starts for the Smokies this season. The 19-year-old is looking for his first win of the season, as he’s 0-1-2-0 in his first three starts, posting a 4.34 GAA and .868 SV%.