BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT
Location: Frank Crane Arena
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Record : GP 1 1-1-0-0 (4th, Interior)
Returning Players: 2
Home: 0-0-0-0
Away: 1-1-0-0
GF: 9
GA: 5
Power Play: 2/9 (22.2%)
Penalty Kill: 3/4 (75%)
Scoring Leader: Ryan MacPherson (3-1-4)
The Penticton Vees continue their season opening four-game road stretch with a trip to Vancouver Island and a meeting with the Nanaimo Clippers at Frank Crane Arena.
This is a rematch of the 2022 Fred Page Cup Final, which the Vees won in four games. Tonight, is the first time the Vees have been back to Nanaimo since the series clinching Game Four win on May 18, 2022. 499 days ago. Each team only has one player back from the series. Thomas Pichette for Penticton and Ethan Merner for Nanaimo.
Penticton is coming off its first win of the season, a 6-0 shutout over the Merritt Centennials last Saturday. It was a big night for Ryan MacPherson. The Vees’ rookie forward had a natural hat-trick in the second period in a four-point night. Goaltender Will Ingemann earned the 13-save shutout in his first career start.
The Vees are dealing with a pair of significant injuries. The team announced defenceman Nolan Stevenson is out 6-8 weeks with an upper-body injury, and forward Parker Murray is sidelined 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury as well. Stevenson is one of the Vees’ two Alternate Captains and a key piece on the blue line. Murray, 20, was going to be counted on to do heavy lifting offensively. Both will be missed, but this is a good early season test for this new group. Who will step up and help fill the void left behind by those two?
Penticton will turn to Andrew Ness in net. The 19-year-old is making his second start and his looking for his first win of the season. Ness is coming off a 21-save performance against West Kelowna a week ago in the Vees’ season opening loss to the Warriors.
Nanaimo Clippers
Interim Head Coach: Curtis Toneff
2023-24 : GP 2 2-0-0-0 (T-1st, Coastal)
Returning Players: 8
Home: 1-0-0-0
Away: 1-0-0-0
GF: 9
GA: 5
Power Play: 2/8 (25%)
Penalty Kill: 6/8 (%75)
Scoring Leader: Mike Murtagh (2-1-3)
Nanaimo has eight players back from last year’s team that finished first in the Coastal Conference regular season standings and lost out to Chilliwack in six games in the second round.
Willyam Gendron and Mike Murtagh, are the Clippers’ two highest returning point producers from last season. Gendron had 20 goals and 26 points in 43 regular season games. Murtagh HAD 23 points in 50 games a year ago. Murtagh is off to a good start with three points in two games.
Last weekend, the Clippers won their home opener 6-3 over the Capitals Friday. They came back from a 3-1 first period deficit to salvage their home opener. A night later they spoiled the party in Duncan, beating the Caps 3-2 in their first home game.
Goaltending had the biggest summer overhaul for Nanaimo, with three new goalies in the mix. Tom Kiesewetter and Tyler Hodges split the crease duties last week. 17-year-old Massimo Urbani has yet to dress in a game.
