Photo: Cherie Morgan
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PST
Location: Cominco Arena
Radio: Bounce 800 am
Webcast: Hockey TV
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2022-23: GP 33 30-3-0-0, 1st Interior Conference
Home: 16-0-0-0
Away: 14-3-0-0
GF: 178
GA: 60
Power Play: 35.8% (1)
Penalty Kill: 83.5% (4)
Top Scorer: Bradly Nadeau (27-38-65)
Top Scorer vs. Smoke Eaters: Aydar Suniev (3-3-6)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 3-0 L @ Prince George (Jan. 7) | Jan. 14 vs. Cowichan Valley, 6:00 pm |
| 3-0 W @ Prince George (Jan. 6) | Jan. 25 @ Vernon, 7:00 pm |
| 6-3 W @ Vernon (Jan. 1) | Jan. 28 @ Cranbrook, 6:00 pm |
| 9-2 W vs. West Kelowna (Dec. 30) | Feb. 3 @ Surrey, 7:00 pm |
| 6-1 W @ West Kelowna (Dec. 17) | Feb. 4 @ Victoria, 7:00 pm |
| Season Series |
| 7-1 W vs. Trail (Sep. 23) |
| 9-3 W vs. Trail (Oct.29) |
| 2-1 W @ Trail (Nov. 12) SO |
| Jan. 13 @ Trail (7:00 pm) |
| Mar. 4 @ Trail (7:00 pm) |
Last Game: The Vees had their six-game win streak halted by the Prince George Spruce Kings with their 3-0 loss on January 7. It was the first time Penticton had been shutout this season and the first time since April 21, 2021. It was a scoreless game after 20 minutes, before the Spruce Kings scored twice in the second period on goals from Ty Gagno and John Herrington. Jake Schneider added insurance in the third period. Luca Di Pasquo stopped 18 of 21 shots in a losing effort. The Spruce Kings’ Jordan Fairlie picked up the 29-save shutout.
Tonight’s Game: Tonight, is meeting number four in the season series and the first since November 12. Two month ago, the Vees picked up a thrilling 2-1 shootout in their first trip to Trail this season. Di Pasquo was excellent in that victory, as he stopped 31 of 32 shot through 65 minutes and all three Trail shooters in the shootout. Josh Nadeau was the only player to score in the three-round shootout. Thomas Pichette scored in regulation for the Vees. Penticton has won six of their last night games in Trail. The Vees are 1-1 when coming off a loss this season, outscoring their opposition 9-4. Di Pasquo is the projected starter tonight with Levy getting the nod Saturday against Cowichan Valley.
Trail Smoke Eaters
GM & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2022-23: GP 32 14-14-1-3, 8th Interior Conference
Home: 10-6-1-1
Away: 4-8-0-2
GF: 102
GA: 124
Power Play: 22.4% (5)
Penalty Kill: 79.6% (7)
Top Scorer: Matthieu Cobetto-Roy (9-19-28)
Top Scorer vs. Vees: Adam Parsons (2-1-3)
| Last 5 Games | Next 5 Games |
| 3-1 L @ Langley (Jan. 7) | Jan. 14 @ Salmon Arm, 6:00 pm |
| 4-3 SOL @ West Kelowna (Jan. 6) | Jan. 27 @ Prince George, 7:00 pm |
| 5-2 L @ Cranbrook (Dec. 31) | Jan. 28 @ Prince George, 7:00 pm |
| 3-0 L vs. Cranbrook (Dec. 30) | Jan. 29 @ Prince George, 3:00 pm |
| 6-3 W vs. Salmon Arm (Dec. 17) | Feb. 3 vs. Vernon, 7:00 pm |
Last Game: The Smoke Eaters lost both games on the road last weekend, including a 3-1 setback in Langley last Saturday. That game was scoreless going into the third period. Langley went up 1-0, before AP Nathan Dominici tied the game, but it was the Rivermen scoring twice over the final 11 minutes to secure the two points. Dominici’s goal was the first in the BCHL, as he was called up from the Beaver Valley Nitehawks in the KIJHL. Keegan Maddocks was tagged with the loss after he stopped 28 of 31 shots.
It was an eventful weekend for the Smoke Eaters, as a night earlier they fell 4-3 in the shootout to the West Kelowna Warriors. Trail got out to a 3-0 lead by the seven and a half minute mark in the second, but the Warriors stormed back to score three unanswered to force overtime. It took seven rounds and 14 shooters, but West Kelowna picked up the extra point in the shootout Friday.
Outlook: Trail had won six-straight going into the Christmas Break on December 17. They were red-hot. Since returning from the holiday pause, the Smoke Eaters have lost four in a row and sit eighth in the Interior Conference. Trail is just two points back of the seventh place Vipers. The Smoke Eaters are looking for their first win since December 17, against Salmon Arm. Smokies’ forward Ethan Mann faces his former team for the first time since the trade that sent him to Trail on November 30. In nine games with Trail, Mann has five points (3G, 2A). After tonight, it’s four-straight on the road for the Smoke Eaters, including a triple header in Prince George after the BCHL All-Star break.
