So, here we are. The Interior Division Semi-Final is now a best-of-three over the Easter Long Weekend. How did we get here? Well, these are two good teams, arguably two of the best in the BCHL since Christmas, going head-to-head. You thought it’d be easy? Right, the Vees are suppose to run the table on the BCHL and right to Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, for the RBC Cup.Well, funny thing is there’s some really good teams in the BCHL and they also have the same goals. The Vees aren’t playing Appalachian State here. West Kelowna and Penticton had nearly identical records from December 12th to the end of the regular season. The Warriors posted a 25-6-1-0 record down the stretch and the Vees were 26-5-0-0. Remember, the Vees were tied 2-2 through four games in their last two trips to the Interior Final; they were down 3-2 last year, winning that series in seven over Vernon.
Am I surprised the series is destined for at least six games? No. That would be a safe bet in Vegas during the onset of the series. Am I surprised how the last two games transpired? Yes- from a Vees standpoint. Game Three was a hard-fought game the Vees came out on the wrong end of. It was tight, it was tough-sledding in the offensive zone for both teams, and it came down to a bounce that went the Warriors way. That’s playoff hockey, I can live with that. Game Four was a different story. The Vees, to put it mildly, came out flat. West Kelowna pushed the pace in the first, out-shooting the Vees 17-7 in the period and had the decided edge in chances. If it wasn’t for Zach Driscoll in that period and game, it would have been curtains early for the Vees. Head Coach Fred Harbinson, one who doesn’t mince words, put it bluntly, “We were completely outworked. I didn’t like our compete-level at all. It’s not something we’ve seen from this group all year. We’ve got some guys who need to step up big for us now.” That quote was from Thursday’s Penticton Herald newspaper. Going into Game Four, I and many fans had a lot of confidence in the team, as they were 8-0 coming off a loss and had yet to lose back-to-back games all season. Now they have experienced it and now they need to channel that disappointment in a bounce-back effort in a pivotal Game Five.
Like I said, the Vees have been in this boat before, the coaching staff has gone through this experience twice before. May I remind you the Vees went down three games to two against Vernon last spring, and on a goal in OT THAT WENT OFF OF A VEES’ SKATE AND IN FROM 40 FEET, to win the game for Vernon at the SOEC. The Vees shook that horrible turn of events off and came back and won in seven. Gabe Bast, Dante Fabbro, Demico Hannoun and Tyson Jost went through that. That was a three-game losing streak, before the Vees won games six and seven.
How big are game fives? Well, doing some digging on the BCHL website, the team that has won game five has gone on to win the Interior Division four out of the last five seasons. The only team to lose game five and win the series was the Vees squad from last year, with their back-to-back wins in game six and seven. But, the Vees are 5-0 at the SOEC in the playoffs this season and if you go back to the regular season, they’ve won eight straight home games. Crowds have been terrific, they’ve been loud and have given off terrific energy. How about that roaring standing ovation after the Vees killed-off that lengthy five-on-three penalty in game two? Gave me goose bumps. We need that tomorrow. Royal LePage place was rocking on Tuesday and Wednesday, they sold out of tickets in game four and it was great atmosphere there. Now, there was a lot of Vees fans up there, which didn’t go unnoticed but we will need an even better atmosphere at the SOEC tomorrow. Coach Harbinson nailed it, “We had better make the SOEC a hard place to play…both the players and fans. If you’re a real Vees fan you need to be there Friday.” The coach and players have pointed out that atmosphere at the SOEC makes a difference, and is a big reason why they’re undefeated in the playoffs at home.
Putting down the pom-poms and looking at some numbers, the Vees will need to get the power-play going. It was red-hot in round one and was exploded for three goals in game one but, but since it’s gone 1-16 in the last three games. Now, playoffs are about adjustments and West Kelowna to their credit have made some to their penalty-kill which has had the upper-hand in the last three games. They’re doing a terrific job of getting in front of shots (blocking what seems like a hundred of them) and closing down shooting lanes. You could see some frustration seeping in with the Vees’ PP in game four. Coach Harbinson told the Herald it isn’t a rocket science on how to fix it, “We’ve been second-guessing ourselves a bit on the power-play. We’ve just been too static. We’re either standing or fading away from the net. (West Kelowna) has been going towards the net, getting traffic and cashing in on rebounds.” The PP did look tentative in game four, as there was some guys hesitating and the Warriors took advantage of that. When the Vees’ PP is at its best it’s when they’re zipping the puck around quickly and pulling the trigger after two-three passes. A return to home might be what the power-play needs, as a return to home might instill the swagger.
Being shutout isn’t something the Vees are accustomed to and especially in the playoffs. Game four’s goose egg was the first time they were shutout in a playoff game since April 13th, 2013, when they dropped game two of the BCHL Final to Surrey; 46 playoff games between shutouts. The Vees were only shutout once in the regular season and that so happened to be against West Kelowna too, and on the road. The shutout streak is now at just under 108-minutes, as the Vees haven’t scored since the 12-minute mark of the first period game three. Like the coach said before, when you’re not scoring you’re likely not doing enough to get the opportunities to do so. The Vees will need to make a more concentrated effort to attack the net, funnel shots and get after rebounds. It’s no secret how you score goals, especially in the playoffs, as it comes off of hard work and sacrifice. Penticton will need to roll up their sleeves and get to the “dirty areas.” That hasn’t been easy to do in this series mind you, but as the cliche goes, if there is a will, there’s a way.
What might help to generate more offense? the blue-line. Penticton needs to find a way to get the puck back to their point-men and get shots towards the net. Before game four, Coach was talking in our pre-game chat that they need to utilize the points better, get the puck back for shots to generate secondary opportunities. If you look at what the Warriors are doing, it’s simply getting point-shots towards the net and pouncing on rebounds. If the Warriors block those shots, keep on firing. It’s like chopping down a tree, it takes more than one hack with the axe to to ‘er down. The Vees have yet to get a goal from a defenceman in this series and in the playoffs (Well there was that one waved off in game two…). In this series, the Vees have had just one assist from a d-man, compared to West-K, who’s defenceman have combined for four points.
Warriors’ goaltender Matt Greenfield has been very good, stopping 87 of last 91 shots he’s faced going back to game three, but have the Vees made it hard enough for him? Traffic, traffic, traffic. To beat goaltenders of his caliber and at this time of year, it’s all about getting bodies in front and taking away the eyes; can’t stop what you can’t see. Greenfield has faced plenty of rubber but has he had a hard time squaring up to shots? In the last two games it seemed like he had plenty of room to get into position and stare down the shooter. The Vees need to get more bodies to the goal and get the goalie moving. Zach Driscoll has had to contend with a lot of bodies in and around his crease in the last couple of games and the Vees need to return to the favour.
Coach said they need more from a few players and they’ll need it quick. Guys like Chris Gerrie, Demico Hannoun and even Luke Voltin, need to assert themselves in this series. Gerrie, who has been a very good two-way forward, has no goals and three points so far. He was a 61-point guy in the AJHL last year and knows his way around the net. Hannoun has a couple of points through nine games but had 21 in 22 games last season in the Fred Page Cup Playoffs. After a very good round one, Voltin has been relatively quiet in the last two, as he was a physical force against the Snakes. I mention those three, as they’re veterans, they’ve been through the playoffs before and are players who know they make an impact; there’s others too. Yeah, the Vees top offensive guys had an off-game in game four but the Vees need more from that “second wave” of scoring. Depth is everything this time of year.
So, here we are. A best-of-three over Easter Weekend, to determine who will win the Interior Division. We should be in for some great hockey down the stretch. Buckle up and enjoy the race to the finish line.
