Weekend Preview: Vees look to rebound in pair of weekend games against Trail, Vernon
Author: Tim Hogg, Vees Digital Media Coordinator
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 38 30-7-3-0, 62 pts (1st, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 4-1 loss at Trail, February 8th
Home: 15-1-3-0
Away: 15-6-0-0
GF: 152
GA: 100
Power Play: (29/123) 23.6% 10th BCHL
Penalty Kill: (84/105) 80.0% 7th BCHL
Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (16-25-41)
The Vees saw their 18-game point streak halted last weekend after a 4-1 loss Saturday night to the Trail Smoke Eaters. The Smokies, going win for win with Penticton since mid-November, handed the Vees their first regulation loss since November 22nd. Penticton took on Vernon at home Friday, losing in dramatic fashion by a 3-2 score in overtime, before falling in regulation Saturday at Cominco Arena. With the pair of losses and just one of a possible four points, Penticton’s cushion atop the BCHL standings has dwindled down to just a two points, with another meeting with Trail looming Friday night at the SOEC.
The BCHL’s Trade Deadline came and went this week, with the Vees making one additional move to bolster their forward group. It was thought much of the roster movement was completed with the additions of Oscar Pantzare, Connor Lee and Tristan Petersen in late January but due to the injuries, particularly to Rego, it was necessary for the Vees to make one more move. They acquired 19-year-old forward George Stavrianeas (Stav-ree-uh-nay-us) from the Victoria Grizzlies on Monday, in exchange for the playing rights to defenceman Julien Wasmer (‘05). Wasmer began the season with the Vees before leaving for the QMJHL in November. Stavrianeas, from Brossard, Quebec, brings 76 games of BCHL regular season experience and 33 points (12-21-33) to Penticton, and will play an important role down the stretch for a team trying to remain atop the BCHL standings. A player known for his work ethic, Stavrianeas will factor into all phases of Penticton’s game. He will also reunite with former Head Coach Jason McKee with whom he spent last season as a member of the Vernon Vipers.
The injury bug has bit the Vees again, particularly on the blue line. Defenceman Zach Nyman, who was hurt February 1st, remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Fellow defenceman Callum Stone is out this weekend with a lower-body injury, and defenceman Nate McIsaac is a game-time decision. Landon Hilditch, acquired via trade earlier this season, has yet to play a game for the Vees due to an upper-body injury sustained in November as a member of the West Kelowna Warriors. Hilditch is projected to return in late March. Forward Anselmo Rego is sidelined until the end of the regular season with an upper-body injury.
Goaltender Will Ingemann gets the start tonight. He’s coming off an overtime loss against Vernon last Friday. The 19-year-old has played in three games against Trail this season.
Tonight, is the sixth and final meeting in the regular season between the two teams. Trail so far has won three of the first five against Penticton.
Trail Smoke Eaters
Season Series:
October 25th, Penticton 1 at Trail 4
November 11th, Trail 3 at Penticton 7
November 16th, Penticton 4 at Trail 1
January 4th, Trail 3 at Penticton 2 (OT)
February 8th, Penticton 1 at Trail 4
February 14th, Trail at Penticton
General Manager & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2024-25 Record: GP 40, 29-8-2-1, 61 pts (2nd, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 4-1 win vs Penticton, February 7th
Home: 17-3-0-0
Away: 12-5-2-1
GF: 184
GA: 118
Power Play: 27/124 (21.8%, 11th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 107/135 (83.7%, 3rd in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Jason Stefanek (23-25-48)
The Trail Smoke Eaters flexed a bit of muscle last weekend, winning by a 4-1 score over the visiting Vees last Saturday at Cominco Arena. The win was the 13th victory in a row for the Smokies and 18th in their past 20 contests, vaulting them to within two points of the first place Vees with 16 games to go. Firing on all cylinders since mid-November, the Smokies play an in-your-face style that’s difficult for most teams to match. They attack with speed on the rush and have the offensive talent to score with the best in the BCHL, while also having the defensive depth to stay structured and composed without the puck.
The continued excellence of veteran goaltender Tegan Kendrick has been a big reason for the Smokies’ recent success. The 20-year-old veteran of 90 BCHL Regular Season starts, all with Trail, leads the BCHL in both goals against average (2.56) and save percentage (.921%) among qualified goalies entering play on Friday. Kendrick made 26 saves to pick up the win last Saturday against Penticton, his 13th straight victory on this impressive run for Trail.
Understandably, given their place in the standings and the ascension for the better part of three months, the Smoke Eaters made no moves at the BCHL Trade Deadline on February 10th.
Vernon Vipers
Season Series:
October 5th, Penticton 4 at Vernon 3
October 26th, Vernon 4 at Penticton 5 (OT)
November 23rd, Vernon 4 at Penticton 6
February 7th, Vernon 3 at Penticton 2 (OT)
February 15th, Penticton at Vernon
March 15th, Penticton at Vernon
Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations: Lukas Lomicky
2024-25 Record: GP 39, 12-21-6-0, 30 PTS (10th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 6-3 loss vs Brooks, February 2nd
Home: 6-8-5-0
Away: 5-12-1-0
GF: 126
GA: 153
Power Play: 24.2% (32/132, 7th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 72.3% (107/148, 21st in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Erik Pastro (6-19-25)
The Vernon Vipers enter play this coming weekend in a fight for the final playoff spot in the BCHL’s Interior Conference. They remain seven points behind the eighth place Okotoks Oilers as the season reaches the stretch drive with 17 games remaining. They picked up a huge come from behind overtime win in Penticton last Friday night but fell flat Saturday against the West Kelowna Warriors by a 7-3 score.
More moves were made this week ahead of the BCHL Trade Deadline and there will be more new faces in the Vernon lineup when they open the weekend Friday at home against Blackfalds. The Vipers traded leading scorer Will Schumacher to the Victoria Grizzlies on Monday, while also sending veteran defenseman Marko Stojkov to the Sherwood Park Crusaders and 20-year-old forward Luke Bibby to the Brooks Bandits. The likes of Finn Kallay, Ryan Watt, Eddie Revenig, Michael Munroe and Shane Burns will join the Vipers as products of those trades completed ahead of the deadline.
Veteran defenseman Eric Johnston also joined the Vipers this week after playing nearly 250 WHL games split between Edmonton, Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Prince Albert. Johnston served as the captain of the Prince Albert Raiders last season and will bring stability and leadership to the Vipers blue line as they fight for their playoff lives down the stretch.
Jari Kykkanen, another WHL veteran added mid-season for Vernon, was sensational in goal against Penticton last Friday night in the Vipers’ come from behind overtime win at the SOEC. It is expected Kykkanen will face the Vees again at home on Saturday with Logan Cunningham taking the crease Friday against Blackfalds.