The Penticton Vees (40-6-1-0) travel to the West Kootenays to play the back half of a home-and-home set with the Trail Smoke Eaters (19-27-0-2) at Cominco Arena. The Vees opened the weekend with a decisive 6-1 win on home ice, as they scored four power-plays to pick up their fifth win in as many games against Trail.
Penticton owns the league’s best road record at 17-5 and they’ve won four of their last five road games; the only blemish is that 6-4 loss in Merritt on Wednesday. Trail is 12-9-0-1 at Cominco Arena but they’ve dropped three of their last five home games (2-2-0-1).
Friday, Nic Jones scored twice on the power-play for the Vees and they got others from Tyson Jost, Owen Sillinger, Tyson Jost, Luke Voltin and Dante Fabbro. Jones, Jost, Sillinger and Scott Conway each finished with three-point nights. Zach Driscoll wasn’t overly busy in the crease, kicking-out 16 of 17 shots for his 15th win this season.
Tonight is the Vees third and final visit to Trail this season and first since November 10th, when they scored a 7-1 win. In fact, the Vees have outscored Trail 13-2 in two games in Trail this season and in the last three meetings with the Smokies, the Vees have outscored them 21-3. Trail has lost three straight at home against Penticton, dating back to February 14th of last year. Despite the lopsided numbers, the Vees can’t overlook their opponent, as the Smokies are fighting for the playoff lives; they’re five back of the final playoff spot in the Interior.
Scott Conway brings a 12-game point streak into tonight’s game and has 16 goals and 27 points since the streak started on December 19th. He also leads the team in scoring in the season series against Trail, with four goals and 13 points in five games; he had three helpers Friday. Demico Hannoun, Jones and Jost all have eight points against Trail and Sillinger rounds out the top five, with seven points.
If the numbers are any indication, Zach Driscoll is your probable starter tonight in Trail. Last night Driscoll scored his fourth win against Trail and owns a sparkling .967 save percentage against the Smokies; Trail has only put four pucks past him this season.
Things could be a bit feisty tonight, as 15 power-plays were handed out last night, 10 to Penticton, and the bad blood boiled over when Mitch Brooks tussled with Trail’s Bennett Morrison late in the third.
In the second half of back-to-back games this year, the Vees are 15-1-1-0 and have scored five or more goals in eight of those 15 games.
A win tonight for the Vees would clinch a fifth consecutive division pennant for the franchise, which would be a BCHL record. Penticton and Nanaimo are the only franchises to have won four consecutive division pennants.
