Photo: Cherie Morgan
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PT
Location: SOEC
Radio: Bounce 800 am
Webcast: Hockey TV
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2022-23: GP 29 27-2-0-0, 1st Interior Conference
Home: 15-0-0-0
Away: 12-2-0-0
GF: 160
GA: 52
Power Play: 35.8% (1)
Penalty Kill: 85.1% (2)
Top Scorer: Bradly Nadeau (26-29-55)
Top Scorer vs. Warriors: Josh Nadeau (6-9-15)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 6-1 W vs. West Kelowna (Dec. 17) | Jan. 1 @ Vernon, 2:00 pm |
| 7-2 W vs. Wenatchee Wild (Dec. 16) | Jan. 6 @ Prince George, 7:00 pm |
| 8-0 W @ Merritt Centennials (Dec. 14) | Jan. 7 @ Prince George, 7:00 pm |
| 4-1 L @ Cranbrook Bucks (Dec. 10) | Jan. 13 @ Trail, 7:00 pm |
| 2-1 L @ Wenatchee (Dec. 9) | Jan. 14 vs. Cowichan Valley, 6:00 pm |
| Season Series |
| 10-3 W @ West Kelowna (Oct. 1) |
| 4-1 W @ West Kelowna (Oct. 28) |
| 11-2 W vs. West Kelowna (Nov. 18) |
| 3-2 W vs. West Kelowna (Dec. 3) OT |
| 6-1 W @ West Kelowna, (Dec. 17) |
| Dec. 30 vs. West Kelowna, 7:00 pm |
| Feb. 17 vs. West Kelowna, 7:00 pm |
Last Game: The Vees went into the BCHL Christmas break on a three-game win streak after a convincing 6-1 win over the West Kelowna Warriors on Dec. 17. Aydar Suniev had three points (2G, 1A) in that win. Billy Norcross, Dovar Tinling, Josh Nadeau, and Brett Moravec also scored. Luca Di Pasquo stopped 14 of 15 shots in the Vees’ crease. That was the Vees fifth win against West Kelowna this season and ninth straight dating back to last season’s playoff match up.
Tonight’s Game: Tonight, Penticton plays their final game of the calendar year and just one of two home games between now and February 10. Yes, the Vees begin a stretch of playing nine of their next 11 games on the road. They have just two homes in the next six weeks. Penticton enter’s the weekend on a three-game win streak and look keep intact their perfect record at home (15-0-0-0). It’s the sixth of seven meetings in the season series with West K. The final meeting is Feb. 17, also in Penticton. The Vees welcome back defenceman Ryan Hopkins to the lineup. The 18-year-old had missed the last six games due to mono.
Hopkins was the top scoring defenceman when he was sidelined and still is sixth with 24 points (7G, 17A) in 23 games. The Vees are still missing Thomas Pichette (injury) and Jackson Nieuwendyk (suspension). Penticton will likely have Summerland Steam forward Austin Cameron (’04) in the lineup.
Streaks: Brett Moravec has scored in three-straight games. During that span, he has six goals and eight points.
West Kelowna Warriors
GM & Head Coach: Simon Ferguson
2022-23: GP 29 16-9-4-0, 3rd Interior Conference
Home: 9-4-0-0
Away: 7-5-4-0
GF: 108
GA: 102
Power Play: 23.2% (4)
Penalty Kill: 75.4% (14)
Top Scorer: Jaiden Moriello (14-11-25)
Top Scorer vs. Vees: Rylee Hlusiak (2-0-2)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 6-1 L vs. Penticton (Dec. 17) | Jan. 6 vs. Trail, 7:00 pm |
| 5-1 W @ Vernon (Dec. 16) | Jan. 8 vs. Salmon Arm, 2:00 pm |
| 5-4 OTL @ Wenatchee (Dec. 11) | Jan. 13 vs. Prince George, 7:00 pm |
| 4-2 L @ Trail (Dec. 10) | Jan. 14 @ Merritt, 7:00 pm |
| 5-2 L @ Cranbrook (Dec. 9) | Jan. 25 vs. Merritt, 7:00 pm |
Scouting Report: West Kelowna has waited 13 days to get another crack at the Vees. The Warriors are looking for their first win against Penticton since Mar. 25 of last season, a 4-3 overtime victory at the SOEC. West Kelowna sits third in the Interior Conference, three points back of the surging Cranbrook Bucks. Cranbrook has won seven in a row. The Warriors are 4-4-2-0 in their last 10 games and haven’t posted back-to-back wins since Dec. 2.
West K has been dealing with a few injuries as well, in particular to their blue line. The Warriors have been missing two 20-year-old defenceman in Aiden Reeves and Nolan Hayes. Reeves was just before the Christmas break and Hayes hasn’t played since late October. They’re also missing forward Matthew Lee who was hurt in mid November.
