Game Preview: GM #46 Vees at Coquitlam Express

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 7:00 pm PST

Location: Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre, Coquitlam

Radio: Bounce 800 AM

Webcast: Flo Hockey 

Season Series

Mar. 2, Penticton at Coquitlam, 7:00 pm PST

Penticton Vees

GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

Record : GP 45 33-7-3-2 (1^st, Interior)

Home:  19-2-0-0

Away: 14-5-3-2

Last Game: 5-3 win at Langley (Mar. 1)

GF: 175

GA: 93

Power Play: (48/156) 30.8% 1^st

Penalty Kill: (27/128) 78.9% 8^th

Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (25-20-45)

Penticton looks for their fourth-straight win and their second consecutive weekend sweep, as the visit the Coquitlam Express later tonight. The Vees extended their win streak to three last night, holding off the Langley Rivermen 5-3.

Will Ingemann set a new BCHL record for the longest shutout streak at 260:09, besting the previous mark by eight minutes. Ingemann’s shutout streak came to an end midway through the first period when Langley’s Ryan Schelling tied the game 1-1. What a run for Ingemann, is still earned his 20^th win of the season last night.

The Vees got goals from five different plays in the win Friday. Max Heise and Ryan MacPherson scored in the first period, as Penticton led 2-1 after 20 minutes. After a scoreless second, the Vees scored back-to-back goals in the third period to go up 4-1, as Billy Renfrew and Callum Arnott scored. Langley did score four minutes apart to make it a one goal game, but Anselmo Rego put the game out of reach with his goal that made it 5-3 with just over two minutes left.

The Vees enter tonight’s game riding a 10-game (9-0-1-0) point streak. The Vees have not lost in regulation since January 26^th, against Chilliwack. Penticton is also riding a seven-game point streak on the road. The Vees are 6-0-1-0 in their last seven road games. Their last regulation road loss was January 5^th, in Prince George.

Andrew Ness will get the start in goal. Ness is coming off a win Sunday in Trail, where he stopped 26 of 28 shots. Since January 1^st, the 19-year-old is 5-1-0-1, with a 2.11 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.

Forward James Fisher enters Saturday riding an eight-game point streak. Fisher has scored six goals and picked up 11 points over his last eight games. His linemate, Billy Renfrew, has four points (1-3-4) in his last two. The third member of that line, Anselmo Rego, has scored in back-to-back games.

The Vees are 6-1-0-1 against the Coastal Conference. Last season, the Vees beat the Express 5-2 at home on February 10, 2023. Tonight is the Vees first visit to Coquitlam since November 20, 2019. The Vees lost that game 7-2.

COQUITLAM EXPRESS

GM & Head Coach: Patrick Sexton

2023-24 : GP 45 20-21-1-3 (6^th, Coastal)

Home: 12-8-0-2

Away: 8-13-1-1

Last Game: 5-2 loss vs. Nanaimo (Mar. 1)

GF: 131

GA: 159

Power Play: (26/152) 17.1% 17^th

Penalty Kill: (26/162) 84% 1^st

Scoring Leader: Drew Garzone (18-25-43)

The Express dropped a 5-2 decision to the Nanaimo Clippers at home on Friday to start their weekend. Coquitlam have lost three of their last four games (1-2-0-1) entering Saturday’s game against Penticton.

Last night, after a scoreless first period, the two teams combine for five goals in the middle frame. Nanaimo scored three on 15 shots and the Express had a pair of goals on eight shots. The Clippers scored twice with the Coquitlam net empty late in the third period.

Coquitlam on paper has a very solid top nine forward group. Drew Garzone centers the top line and leads the team with 43 points in 45 games. The Princeton commit leads the team in assists (25) too. Fellow Princeton commit Jake Manfre anchors the second line with a team-best 20 goals and has 40 points in 45 games. Rounding out the top nine are former Surrey Eagle and Salmon Arm Silverback Jacob Bonkowski, former Merritt Centennial Jackson Krill, and former Cowichan Valley Capital Cole Melady.

The Express’ blue line features former Vee Luke Vardy, who has 20 points in 45 games. Michael Rubin is Coquitlam’s top scoring defencemen with 24 points.

20-year-old goaltender Adam Manji has carried the load in net, as he sits fourth in the BCHL in minutes played. Manji is 12-17-1-2, with a 3.14 goals-against average, and .909 save percentage.