Photo: Garrett James Photography
ROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT
Location: Cominco Arena, Trail, BC
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
October 25, Penticton at Trail, 7:00 pm
November 11, Trail at Penticton, 2:00 pm
November 16, Penticton at Trail, 7:00 pm
January 4, Trail at Penticton, 6:00 pm
February 8, Penticton at Trail, 7:00 pm
February 14, Trail at Penticton , 7:00 pm
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 11, 9-2-0-0, 18 PTS (2nd, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 3-1 Win at Spruce Grove, October 20th
Home: 3-0-0-0
Away: 6-2-0-0
GF: 45
GA: 28
Power Play: 12 / 37 (32.4%, 4th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 22/ 30 (73.3%, 16th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Anselmo Rego (3-10-13)
It’s becoming a familiar sight early in the BCHL season to see the bus adorned with the Penticton Vees logo pulling out of the parking lot at the SOEC and making its way down the highway. Tonight, they set out to play their 10th road game of the season, as their road schedule nears the halfway point with a visit to Cominco Arena in Trail. The Vees and Smoke Eaters saw one another once in the pre-season, a 7-5 win for the Smoke Eaters on September 13th.
Anselmo Rego continues to lead the Vees in scoring, collecting an assist in Sunday’s win over Spruce Grove to bring his point total to 13. Linemates Ryden Evers (5-7-12) and Captain Conyr Hellyer (4-7-11) sit directly in Rego’s rear view mirror in the scoring race after hot stretches in their past six games. Evers saw a 5-game point streak snapped Sunday in Spruce Grove while Hellyer rides a six-game point streak (4-7-11) into Friday’s contest in Trail.
There will be a fresh face in the lineup for the Vees Friday night as Cédricson Okitundu will make his Vees debut after signing earlier in the week. The 20-year-old from Ottawa, Ontario, arrives with over 150 games of CHL experience and will bolster a blue line that recently lost both Matthew Biotti and Michael Fisher to long-term injuries. The two veteran defensemen will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, forcing Vees President, General Manager and Head Coach, Fred Harbinson, to make a move to bring in some experience for the defence corps.
Sharky Nowek picked up his first BCHL win last Sunday in the 3-1 victory over Spruce Grove, stopping 34 shots in a very solid effort. All three goalies saw action last weekend in Alberta.
Trail Smoke Eaters
General Manager & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2024-25: GP 12 6-4-1-1, 14 PT (6th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 4-3 loss vs Cranbrook, October 18th
Home: 4-1-0-0
Away: 2-3-1-1
GF: 52
GA: 45
Power Play: 8/46 (17.4%, 14th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 34/46 (73.9%, 15th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Jason Stefanek (9-4-13)
The Smokies arrive at Friday night’s clash with the Vees fresh off their first home loss of the season to the Cranbrook Bucks on October 18th. A veteran laden roster under the eye of General Manager & Head Coach, Tim Fragle, has had a strong start to the BCHL season at Cominco Arena, making it one of the toughest places in the BCHL for visiting teams.
The Smokies continue to outscore their opponents by just enough to pick up victories, ranking second in the entire BCHL in goals scored at 52 through their first 12 games. Only the Sherwood Park Crusaders have scored more than Trail, who averages nearly 4.5 goals per game. On the flip side of those stats, the Smoke Eaters have also allowed the second most (tied) goals in the BCHL at 45, with only Spruce Grove giving up more goals per game.
Third year forward Jason Stefanek paces the Smoke Eaters in the goal scoring department, leading the team with 9 goals and in a tie atop the team scoring list with 13 points. The 20-year-old, hailing from Yorba Linda, California, and committed to Dartmouth University, was tapped early as an alternate captain for the Smokies.
Former Penticton forward Attila Lippai, acquired by Trail during the off-season, is off to a nice start to his 20-year-old season. He sits fourth in team scoring with four goals and 10 points through the team’s first 12 games.
Puck drop is set for 7:00pm PDT from Cominco Arena in Trail. You can follow all the action live on FloHockey or locally on radio beginning at 6:40pm PDT thanks to the official broadcast partners of the Penticton Vees, Bounce 800AM.
