Photo: Jack Murray
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 6:00 pm PT
Location: Western Financial Place
Radio: Bounce 800 am
Webcast: Hockey TV
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2022-23: GP 25 24-1-0-0, 1st Interior Conference
Home: 14-0-0-0
Away: 10-1-0-0
GF: 138
GA: 45
Power Play: 35.8% (1)
Penalty Kill: 83.1% (3)
Top Scorer: Bradly Nadeau (25-25-50)
Top Scorer vs. Bucks: Bradly + Josh Nadeau (2-3-5)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 2-1 L @ Wenatchee (Dec. 9) | Dec. 14 @ Merritt, 7:00 pm |
| 3-2 W vs. West Kelowna (Dec. 3) OT | Dec. 16 vs. Wenatchee, 7:00 pm |
| 4-2 W @ Powell River (Nov. 26) | Dec. 17 @ West Kelowna, 7:00 pm |
| 7-1 W @ Alberni Valley (Nov. 25) | Dec. 30 vs. West Kelowna, 7:00 pm |
| 5-3 W vs. Salmon Arm (Nov. 23) | Jan. 1 @ Vernon, 2:00 pm3 |
Last Game: The Vees had their season opening 24-game win streak snapped Friday night, losing 2-1 to the Wenatchee Wild at Town Toyota Center. Last night was the Vees’ first loss in 253 days, dating back to their Game One loss to the Trail Smoke Eaters in the opening round of the BCHL playoffs.
Spencer Smith scored Penticton’s lone goal, nearly 13 minutes into the third period. The Vees’ trailed 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 four minutes into the final frame. Smith’s goal cut the deficit to 2-1 but that was as close as the Vees would get. Wenatchee’s Owen Millward was red-hot, as he stopped 43 of 44 shots and was the game’s first star. The Vees’ power play went 0-3 and they did not take a single penalty.
Friday was just the second time this season that neither Bradly nor Josh Nadeau registered a single point. Last night was just the second time Bradly has been held off the scoresheet.
Tonight’s Game: Third of five meetings with the Cranbrook Bucks. Penticton has won the first two encounters were at the SOEC, with the Vees winning 7-1 and 4-3 in overtime.
Friday, the Vees were without Ryan Hopkins (injured), Nic DeGraves (flu), and Aydar Suniev. Then, Thomas Pichette left the game with an upper body injury. The Vees will be without Hopkins, DeGraves, and Pichette tonight, but do welcome back Suniev. Suniev’s fresh legs and dynamic offensive presence will be a welcome addition. For the second-straight game, the Vees will dress 11 forwards and six defencemen.
Luca Di Pasquo gets the start in net and is 2-0 against the Bucks with a 1.96 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.
Cranbrook Bucks
GM & Head Coach: Ryan Donald
2022-23: GP 25 16-8-1-0, 2nd Interior Conference
Home: 7-3-0-0
Away: 9-5-1-0
GF: 92
GA: 68
Power Play: 17.9% (15)
Penalty Kill: 81.5% (5)
Top Scorer: Jack Silich (16-11-27)
Top Scorer vs. Vees: Jack Silich (1-1-2)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 5-2 W vs. West Kelowna (Dec. 9) | Dec. 16 vs. Salmon Arm, 7:00 pm MST |
| 4-1 W @ Prince George (Dec. 3) | Dec. 17 vs. Merritt, 7:00 pm MST |
| 3-2 W @ Prince George (Dec. 2) | Dec. 30 @ Trail, 7:00 pm |
| 3-2 W vs. Wenatchee (Nov. 30) | Dec. 31 vs. Trail, 6:00 pm MST |
| 1-0 L @ Salmon Arm (Nov. 26) | Jan. 5 @ Merritt, 7:00 pm |
Last Game: The Bucks won their fourth in a row on Friday, dispatching the West Kelowna Warriors 5-2 at Western Financial Place. The Bucks led 2-1 after the first period and 5-1 through 40 minutes. Defenceman Jack Henry scored twice in the win. Nick Peluso, Jaden Fodchuk, and Donovan Frias also scored. Julian Frias had a pair of assists. Goaltender Nathan Airey stopped 34 of 36 shots in the Bucks’ net.
Cranbrook chased West Kelowna starter Justin Katz out of the net early in the second period, after they scored four goals on 18 shots.
Scouting Report: The Bucks are the hottest team in the Interior Conference, as they have won four in a row to leapfrog West Kelowna for second place. Since Nov. 1, Cranbrook has won nine of their last 12 games. Ryan Donald’s Bucks are on top of their game and proving to be a force in the Interior.
Up front, the Bucks are led by Jack Silich who has 27 (16G, 11A) in 25 games. Silich may be the only player averaging over a point per game, but Cranbrook’s offence is led by a committee. Seven players have 16 or more points and seven have seven or more goals. The Bucks don’t give up much either, as they have the second-best goals against in the Interior with just 68 in 25 games. The opposition is averaging just 2.72 goals per game. The Cranbrook blueline is not only hard to play against, but they pack an offensive punch. They have two defencemen in the top 20 in BCHL scoring. Rhys Bentham is fifth with 23 points (7G, 16A) in 25 games. Cameron Kungle sits 16th with 16 points (3G, 13A).
Their goaltender Nathan Airey has been excellent, as he sports a 2.47 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.
