Round two goes tonight at the SOEC, as the Penticton Vees (34-14-0-4) host the Trail Smoke Eaters (24-27-0-2). Tonight is the start of a weekend double-dip between the two Interior Conference foes. The Smoke Eaters drew first blood last Saturday, taking a 4-3 double-overtime decision at Cominco Arena.
Last Saturday marked the first of four meetings between the two teams in the final two weeks of the BCHL regular season. After tonight, the scene shifts to Trail for the back-half of the home-and-home; the season series wraps up on March 10th back in Trail.
Last weekend was the first time since early November the Vees failed to at least pick up one win on a weekend. The last time they lost back-to-back games was November 9th & 10th and that was during the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge; the Vees missing four regulars due to international duty.
Tonight is the third and final game at the SOEC in the season series, as the Vees get three games on home ice. The last time the two went head-to-head at the SOEC was on November 21st, the Vees holding on for a 7-6 win. The Vees are 2-1-0-1 against the Smokies this season but are 0-1-0-1 in Trail.
The Smokies have been a hard team to play against at home all season but have had their struggles on the road. They have a respectable 15-10-0-1 record in Trail but are just 9-17-0-1 away from Cominco; tonight is their only remaining road game of the regular season. Trail will have one eye glancing at the out-of-town scoreboard tonight. Coming into the weekend, the Smokies are tied with Salmon Arm for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Interior; both teams sitting on 50 points. The Silverbacks do have two games in-hand on the Smokies but do play five road games to end the season; it’s going to be a close finish.
Chad Katunar will get the start in goal tonight for the Vees, after Nic Renyard took the overtime loss in Trail on Saturday. Katunar has split his two starts against Trail, winning back on November 21st, but was also saddled with the loss on November 17th.
It looks like the Smokies will go with Adam Todd in goal, who has won his last three starts and was just given an honourable mention for this week’s BCHL Player of the Week award.
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