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Game Preview: Vees Face Langley in Morning Face-Off at BCHL Showcase

The Penticton Vees (3-1-0) start of season road odyssey has taken them to the Fraser Valley for the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack and arguably the earliest game time in franchise history.

This morning the Vees play the Langley Rivermen (2-1-0) at Prospera Centre to kick-off their two-game Showcase schedule, and puck drop is slated for 10 am- yeah, that’s no misprint. The obvious challenge for both teams is the abnormal start time and how that’s going to alter players routines leading up to puck drop.

Both Langley and Penticton are coming off wins in their last outings. The Vees picked up a 4-3 double-overtime win in Cowichan Valley last Sunday afternoon, and the Rivermen played spoilers, beating the Chilliwack Chiefs in their home opener last Saturday night 4-1. The Riv’ returning the favour to the Chiefs, after they dropped their home opener to Chilliwack two weeks ago.

The Vees have had well documented success at this Showcase “tournament” since its inception four years ago. Penticton is a perfect 8-0 at this event, dating back to the inaugural Showcase in September of 2012. Last season the Vees picked up wins over Alberni Valley and Chilliwack, by 4-1 and 2-1 scores respectively. The Vees and the Wenatchee Wild are the only two teams that haven’t lost at the Showcase event; the Wild are just into their second season.

Penticton juggled their lines somewhat ahead of that win in Duncan over the Capitals and it seemed to spark the offense, especially rookie Grant Cruikshank. Paired with Owen Sillinger and Ty Amonte, the Wisconsin product scored a natural hat-trick in regulation, including scoring twice in the first four-minutes of the game, for his first three goals of the season. Those three showed great chemistry throughout the game and it overtime, where Cruikshank almost scored his fourth. Another tweaked forward line sees Captain Nic Jones centering familiar winger Chris Klack, joined by Ryley Risling on the other side.

Mat Robson will get the start in goal this morning and has had a terrific start to the young season. The 20-year-old is 2-1 through three starts, sporting a miniscule 1.01 goals-against average and owns a .964 save percentage; he also has one shutout. His numbers are the best out of any BCHL goaltender that’s started more than one game. With Robson starting today, it will likely be Nolan Hildebrand getting the nod tomorrow afternoon against the Spruce Kings.

The Vees are again without the services of Gabe Bast and Turner Ripplinger. Bast suffered an upper-body injury Friday in Powell River and will be evaluated this week back in Penticton; there’s no timetable as of yet for his return. Ripplinger is still rehabbing a lower-body injury he picked up just before the season opener but all indications point to him resuming skating next week. Sam Rossini is home in Minnesota recovering from his knee injury suffered in exhibition.

The Rivermen went through a bit of a transformation in the off-season, as they switched addresses, leaving the Langley Event Centre for the George Preston Recreation Centre. “The Lodge” as it’s been dubbed had gone under a significant facelift this summer to get it up to standards to house the BCHL team.

Langley has brought back eight pieces from last year, building upon that with recruits and trade acquisitions. One of their most high profile signings this summer was rookie forward Angus Crookshank. The 17-year-old was named the Canadian Sport Schools Hockey League MVP after a 61-point season for the Burnaby Winter Club. He’s also committed to the University of New Hampshire. The forward has only played one of the Rivermen’s three games this season and is listed as injured.

Back upfront are forwards Ryan Barrow and Max Kaufman, who not surprisingly first and second in team scoring for the Rivermen. Barrow, who’s committed to Dartmouth, leads the team with three goals and six points. Kaufman, who’s off to Vermont next fall, is right behind Barrow with two goals and four points.

The Rivermen did something that many haven’t had the luxury of and that’s returned both goalies from last season. Back between the pipes is 19-year-old Bo Didur and 20-year-old Nick Trenciansky.  Didur appears to be the number one, as he’s started all three of the Rivermen’s game this season and is coming off a 31-save performance against Chilliwack. Trenciansky won 16 games out of his 32 appearances last season and owned a .904 save percentage, and filled in for Didur who missed some time due to the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in December.

The Vees split their two games against the Riv’ last season, winning 4-3 at home in October but lost 4-2 in Langley in November; the loss at the LEC snapped the Vees 23-game win streak. These two teams meet again next month, starting on October 12th in Penticton. Two nights later the Vees are in Langley on October 14th.

The pre-game show is set for just after 9:40 am with puck-drop at 10 am on www.fasthockey.com and streaming online at www.mixlr.com/penticton-vees.