Game Preview: GM #10 Vees at Sherwood Park Crusaders
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 6:00 pm PDT
Location: Sherwood Park Arena, Sherwood Park, AB
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
September 21, Penticton 6 @ Sherwood Park 3
October 19, Penticton @ Sherwood Park
December 6, Sherwood Park @ Penticton
January 3, Sherwood Park @ Penticton
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 9, 8-1-0-0, 14 PTS (2nd, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 5-3 win vs Victoria (October 16)
Home: 3-0-0-0
Away: 5-1-0-0
GF: 38
GA: 21
Power Play: 10 / 33 (30.3%, 4th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 20/ 28 (71.4%, 18th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Anselmo Rego (3-9-12)
The Vees come off a successful BCHL Showcase this week in the Lower Mainland, picking up a pair of wins over Okotoks and Victoria to stretch their winning streak to six games. They now go straight back on the road for their final Central Alberta swing of the season this weekend, beginning Saturday night in Sherwood Park. It’s the second and final trip to Sherwood Park, where they picked up a 6-3 win on September 21st in their last meeting with the Crusaders.
The current winning streak for the Vees has been paced by a lively power play, one that was quiet in the pre-season and on the opening weekend. It has now come alive and bolstered the blue and white, clipping at 42.8% (9-for-21) in the month of October.
Max Heise continues to be a key to the special teams game for Penticton. Now with six goals on the season, five have come via special teams. The most recent tally for Heise was a highlight reel effort to tie the game against Victoria in the third period on Wednesday afternoon. The 18-year-old from Calgary, committed to Michigan State University, sits in a tie for second in the BCHL in power play goals with four through his first nine games. He has already tied his goal total from last season where he tallied six in 49 contests in his rookie season with Penticton.
Anselmo Rego enters the weekend riding a season-opening nine-game point streak. Rego has recorded at least a single point in each of his first nine games. Ryden Evers has seven points in his last four games and Luke Posthumus has points in six-straight games.
Andrew Ness and Will Ingemann split goaltending duties at the BCHL Showcase this week, and it’s expected that will happen again this weekend with Ingemann getting the call Friday night against Sherwood Park.
Sherwood Park Crusaders
Head Coach: Brennan Menard
2024-25: GP 9 6-3-0-0, 12 PT (6th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 7-3 win vs Langley (October 14)
Home: 4-1-0-0
Away: 2-2-0-0
GF: 45
GA: 31
Power Play: 16/46 (34.8%, 2nd in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 29/32 (90.6%, 2nd in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Jeremy Loranger (9-10-19)
The Sherwood Park Crusaders arrive back home after a 4-3 win over the Blackfalds Bulldogs on the road Friday. The Cru split their BCHL Showcase schedule earlier this week. They fell in their opener to the defending BCHL Champion Surrey Eagles by a 4-2 count, before taking out their frustrations on the Langley Rivermen in a 7-3 win on October 14th.
The Cru is paced up front by BCHL scoring leader Jeremy Loranger, who extended his point streak to 10 games with his assist in their 4-3 win in Blackfalds Friday. The 2007 born forward from Trois-Rivieres, QC is off to torrid start in his first BCHL season, averaging more than two points per game. He has points in every game this season, including a pair of assists in the only meeting of the season with the Vees.
The Crusaders thrive on their near league best power play, with nearly 36 percent of their total goals through 10 contests coming via the man advantage. They sit second in the BCHL at 36 percent efficiency with the man advantage.
20-year-old goaltender James Venne does the bulk of the duty in the crease for Sherwood Park, gaining decisions in eight of 10 contests this season. He carries a 6-2 record into Saturday action against Penticton and holds a 3.10 goals against average and .910 save percentage. Not only steady in the crease, Venne also has a pair of assists on the season, more points than six of Sherwood Park’s regular skaters.
Puck drop is set for 6:00pm PDT from Sherwood Park as Penticton looks to stretch it’s winning streak to seven games. You can follow all the action live on FloHockey or locally on radio thanks to the official broadcast partners of the Penticton Vees, Bounce 800AM.