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Game Preview: Vees, West Kelowna Renew Hostilities

The Penticton Vees’ run of seven-straight games on the road to start the season finally comes to an end tonight, and the team is looking to end it on a positive note in West Kelowna. The Vees will play their first divisional game of the season as they make a trip up HWY 97 to face the Warriors at Royal LePage Place; puck drop is 7 pm.

The Vees are winners of three straight and five of their first six games, with the only blemish being a 2-1 loss in Alberni Valley on September 17th. The Warriors have won four of their first six games out of the gate but are coming off a 5-1 loss to Merritt at home on Tuesday.

This is Penticton’s first game since last Friday afternoon when they downed the Prince George Spruce Kings 3-2 at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack, which was their 10th straight win at that event dating back to September 2012. After tonight, the Vees have their home opener tomorrow against Trail and four of their next six games are at the SOEC.

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Tonight’s game is the first meaningful encounter between these two Interior rivals since their well-documented and much talked about Division Final playoff series last March. For those new to the Vees and BCHL, it was the Warriors winning the best-of-seven series in six games, including a wild game six, which the Vees almost came back from down 4-1 (but let’s not open that wound again).

Back from that series for the Vees is Gabe Bast, Ben Brar, David Eccles, Nicholas Jones, Griffin Mendel, Owen Sillinger and Taylor Ward. Back for the Warriors are Scott Allan, Reed Gunville, Quin Foreman, Jake Harrison, Nick Rutigliano and Connor Sodergren.

The Warriors were actually quite busy over the last couple of days as they made several tweaks to their roster. Head Coach Rylan Ferster acquired forward Braiden Epp from Prince George in exchange for defenceman Tyler Anderson. He also signed two WHL products in forward Matthew Campese and defenceman Scott Allan. Allan was with the team for most of last season and was a key contributor on their blue-line during their run to the RBC Cup championship. Campese split time in the WHL with Kamloops and Victoria.

Circling back to the Vees, it will be Mat Robson getting the call between the pipes. The 20-year-old has had a terrific start to the season, posting a 4-1 record through five games, and is first in the BCHL in both goals-against average (1.72) and save percentage (.938).

Some good news on the injury front as Turner Ripplinger is back from his lower-body injury and will make his Vees debut this weekend. Ripplinger was hurt prior to the start of the season in an off-ice training session, and coincidentally his last game was the Vees’ exhibition game in West Kelowna back in August.

Newly acquire defenceman James Miller will make his Vees debut too and it can very likely be tonight. The Spruce Grove, Alberta, product came over to Penticton in a trade with the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Miller, 18, spent the past two seasons in the AJHL and is committed to the University of New Hampshire.

Penticton enjoyed a lot of success last year against the Warriors, winning six of their seven games in the season series; their only loss was in West-K last December.

Tonight’s game can be heard on EZ Rock AM 800, starting with our CIBC Wood Gundy pre-game show at 6:40 pm. Fans can also watch online via the BCHL’s pay-per-view stream on www.fasthockey.com