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BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT
Location: SOEC
Radio: Bounce 800 am
Webcast: Hockey TV
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2022-23 Regular Season: GP 54 50-3-0-1, 1st overall in the BCHL
Home: 27-0-0-0
Away: 23-3-0-1
GF: 304
GA: 96
Power Play: 39.1% (1)
Penalty Kill: 84.9% (2)
Top Scorer: Bradly Nadeau (45-68-113)
| Playoff series |
| GM 1: Friday, Mar. 31, vs. Trail, 7:00 pm |
| GM 2: Saturday, Apr. 1 vs. Trail, 7:00 pm |
| GM 3: Tuesday, Apr. 4 @ Trail, 7:00 pm |
| GM 4: Wednesday, Apr. 5 @ Trail, 7:00 pm |
| GM 5: Friday, Apr. 7 vs. Trail, 7:00 pm* |
| GM 6: Sunday, Apr. 9 @ Trail, 5:00 pm* |
| GM 7: Tuesday, Apr. 11 vs. Trail, 7:00 pm* |
*If necessary
Season Series: The Vees won all five games against the Smoke Eaters this season, with one win coming in the shootout. Penticton outscored Trail 32-9 over five games. Aydar Suniev led the Vees with 12 points (7G, 5A) in four games against Trail. Bradly and Josh Nadeau were right behind him with nine points each. Luca Di Pasquo had four wins in four starts and posted a 1.47 goals-against average and .942 save percentage in the season series.
Tonight: Luca Di Pasquo is the Vees projected starter for Game One. The 19-year-old had an outstanding Regular Season, as he posted a 36-3-0-1 record, with a 1.70 GAA, and .922 SV%. The Vees also appear to have good news on defenceman Joshua Niedermayer and forward Billy Norcross. Both are expected to be in the lineup after miss the last week of the Regular Season.
Penticton is the heavy favourites but they won’t take their opponent lightly, as the 2022 playoffs provide a cautionary tale. The Vees lost Game One to Trail 5-3 a year ago tonight, in their Interior Conference Quarterfinal series. The Vees went on to win 16 in a row to capture the Fred Page Cup championship.
Trail Smoke Eaters
GM & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2022-23 Regular Season: GP 54 20-27-3-4, 8th Interior Conference
Home: 13-12-1-1
Away: 7-15-2-3
GF: 162
GA: 214
Power Play: 20.5% (9)
Penalty Kill: 77.5% (10)
Top Scorer: Brady Hunter (18-44-62)
Outlook: Trail is looking for history to repeat itself and upset Penticton in Game One at the SOEC. The blueprint is there, after last year’s Game One result. The Smokies likely view the BCHL Playoffs as a clean slate, after finishing with three wins in their final 10 games (3-6-0-1) of the Regular Season. Trail was banged up, missing upwards to five regulars down the stretch.
Trail has 10 players back from last spring’s playoff series and one of those players is Brady Hunter. He led Trail with 62 points in 54 Regular Season games, as he finished seventh in BCHL scoring. Hunter had five points in five games against the Vees this season, he will be a key piece up front.
The “X-factor” for the Smoke Eaters will be in goal. 18-year-old Teagan Kendrick put up a very impressive Rookie season with 14 wins and a .907 SV%. He will be tasked with trying to “steal” a game for Trail on the road and take away home ice advantage.
