Game Preview: GM #18 Vees vs. Trail Smoke Eaters
Photo: Jennifer Small
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 2:00 pm PST
Location: SOEC, Penticton, B.C.
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
October 25, Penticton 1 at Trail 4
November 11, Trail at Penticton, 2:00 pm
November 16, Penticton at Trail, 7:00 pm
January 4, Trail at Penticton, 6:00 pm
February 8, Penticton at Trail, 7:00 pm
February 14, Trail at Penticton , 7:00 pm
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 17, 12-5-0-0, 24 PTS (2nd , Interior Conference)
Last Game: 5-2 win at Salmon Arm, November 9
Home: 5-1-0-0
Away: 7-4-0-0
GF: 63
GA: 49
Power Play: 16/62 (25.8%, 3rd in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 11/48 (77.%, 13th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (7-9-16)
Penticton snapped their two-game losing streak with their 5-2 win in Salmon Arm Saturday. The Vees erased a 2-0 first period deficit, as they scored five unanswered goals in the win. The win was the Vees second in as many games this season against Salmon Arm.
Ryden Evers (1-1-2), Caton Ryan (1-1-2), Callum Stone (1-1-2), and Nolan Stevenson (0-2-2) each had two-point games Saturday. Anselmo Rego and Ben Merrill also scored in the win for the Vees. Stone scored his first BCHL goal in the second period, a period in which the Vees trailed 2-1 before scoring three times to take a 4-2 lead.
Penticton did fall behind 2-0 for the fifth time in their last six games but picked up their third win of the season when trailing after the first period. The Vees have only scored first in seven of their first 17 games, or just over 41 percent. Not a habit that’s going to breed a lot of success long-term, but at least this team has shown their willingness to fight back in games.
At the SOEC this season the Vees are 4-1-0-0, with that lone loss coming in their last home game on November 2, against the Brooks Bandits, a 6-2 setback. The Vees are 5-1 in their last six home games against the Trail Smoke Eaters.
Today, is the second of six meetings between Penticton and Trail as the two teams play one another twice over the next six days. The two teams meet again Saturday night in Trail. The Smokies beat the Vees 4-1 back on October 25.
Just two points separate these two teams in the Interior Conference standings. Penticton sits second with 24 points, the Smoke Eaters fourth with 22 points.
Penticton is still without three 20-year-olds in Matthew Biotti, Michael Fisher, and Conyr Hellyer. Biotti has missed the last 14 games with an upper-body injury. Fisher has sat out the last seven, and Hellyer a pair of games. A lot of experience and skill sitting on the sidelines. The last handful of games the Vees have dressed 12 forwards and six defenceman.
It appears the Vees will start Will Ingemann I net. After surrendering goals on the first two of the game in Salmon Arm, Ingemann buckled down stopping the final 18 shots he faced. Ingemann has faced the Smokies once this season back on October 25.
Trail Smoke Eaters
General Manager & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2024-25: GP 17 10-5-1-1, 22 PTS (4th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 4-2 win at Vernon, November 8
Home: 6-2-0-0
Away: 4-3-1-1
GF: 69
GA: 55
Power Play: 14/67 (20.9%, 12th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 13/59 (78%, 8th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Lucas Lemieux (7-10-17)
Coming into Monday’s game against the Vees, Trail has won four of their last five games. The Smokies are coming off a 4-2 road win over the Vernon Vipers on Friday.
After beating the Vees on October 25, Trail lost 5-2 to Brooks on October 30, but bounced back with wins over Spruce Grove (5-1) on November 1, and 4-2 over Vernon on November 8.
In Trail’s Friday win over the Vipers, it was the Smoke Eaters leading after the first period and then went up 2-0 early in the third period before the two teams combined for five goals in the final 20 minutes. Smoke Eaters Captain Ridge Dawson had three points (1-2-3) in Friday’s win.
Trail makes their first of three trips to the SOEC this season. The Smoke Eaters are just 1-4-1-0 in their last six road games in Penticton. The Smokies won one of four road games at the SOEC a season ago.
Former Vee Attila Lippai has scored in three straight games and has points in his last four. In fact, Lippai has registered a point in six of his last season games. Through 17 games, the 20-year-old has 14 points; seven goals.
Teagan Kendrick has had the bulk of the work load in goal for the Smoke Eaters. The 20-year-old has played in 13 of 17 games thus far and has posted a 7-3-1-1 record with a .916 save percentage. Kendrick was excellent against Penticton in the first meeting in October, as he stopped 33 of 34 shots.