Season Series
Nov 26th: Chilliwack 2 at Penticton 3 (OT)
Feb 24th: Penticton 3 at Chilliwack 0
Fred Page Cup Schedule
GM 1: Penticton 2 at Chilliwack 4
GM 2: Penticton 5 at Chilliwack 1
GM 3: Chilliwack 2 at Penticton 5
GM 4: Chilliwack 3 at Penticton 4 (OT)
GM 5: Penticton 2 at Chilliwack 4
GM 6: Chilliwack 3 at Penticton 2 (OT)
GM 7: 7 pm Prospera Centre, Chilliwack
It’s another Game Seven for the Penticton Vees but this time the BCHL Fred Page Cup is at stake. The Chilliwack Chiefs forced the winner-take-all finale after a stunning 3-2 overtime win Monday in Penticton.
Tonight marks the first time since 2010 the Fred Page Cup Final is going to a Game Seven.
Down 2-0 to start the third period, the Chiefs got goals from Davis Bunz and Kohen Olischefski to force the extra frame. In OT, Will Calverley tipped in a shot from the top of the crease on a Chiefs’ power-play to cap off the dramatic comeback.
Grant Cruikshank scored in the first period and Owen Sillinger scored late in the second, to stake the Vees out to a 2-0 through two but it wasn’t enough as they lost for the first time in the playoffs when leading after 40-minutes.
The Vees can draw on experience for tonight’s game, as they’ve already played two Game Sevens this post-season. The Vees beat the Merritt Centennials 6-2 on March 27th in Game Seven of the Interior Semi-Final, and they beat the Vernon Vipers 3-1 on April 10th in Game Seven of the Interior Final.
The Chilliwack Chiefs are playing their ninth Game Seven since coming into the league in 1991 and are 6-2 in their previous eight; their last Game Seven was back in 2007.
The biggest key for tonight is who gets to three goals first? The team that has scored three plus goals in this series is 6-0. The Vees and the Chiefs are a combined 24-3 when scoring three or more goals this post-season. When these two scored two or less, they’re a combined 2-13.
Another thing that has become abundantly clear, is no lead is safe in the Fred Page Cup Final. In the last three games, the winning team has come back from a three-goal deficit and two two-goal deficits. When two teams of this caliber, this evenly matched go head-to-head, you can’t let your foot off the gas. Who manages the momentum swings better tonight, especially in a Game Seven?
No other players have been more impactful in the playoffs and in this series than the two Captains. The Chiefs’ Jordan Kawaguchi has six goals and 15 points against the Vees and has points 10 straight (6-9-15). The Vees’ Nicholas Jones has three goals and 10 points against the Chiefs and has points in his last seven (3-8-11). Both will certainly be factors tonight.
The Vees did reinsert Mitch Meek and Jamie Armstrong in the line-up last night but there’s word if they make any changes tonight. Chiefs were again missing forwards Kale Kane and Tommy Lee last night due to injury.
One certainty? The goalies. Mat Robson is now 11-9 in the playoffs, owning a 2.33 goals-against average and sports a .917 save percentage. Mark Sinclair is 15-7, with a 2.29 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.
Fans can listen to tonight’s game starting at 6:40 pm with the pre-game show on EZ Rock AM 800 and on www.hockeytv.com, with Fraser Rodgers and Scott Austin.
