BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 3:00 pm PST
Location: Cominco Arena
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
Oct. 6 Trail 3 at Penticton 4 OT
Oct. 7 Penticton 3 at Trail 4 OT
Oct. 14 Penticton 6 at Trail 3
Nov. 11 Trail 1 at Penticton 6
Nov. 29 Trail 0 at Penticton 5
Feb. 25 Penticton at Trail, 3:00 pm PST
Mar. 29 Trail at Penticton, 7:00 pm PDT
Penticton Vees
GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Record : GP 43 31-7-3-2 (1st, Interior)
Home: 19-2-0-0
Away: 12-5-3-2
Last Game: 4-0 win at Cranbrook (Feb. 24)
GF: 167
GA: 88
Power Play: (46/146) 31.5% 1st
Penalty Kill: (24/122) 79.5% 7th
Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (24-20-44)
Penticton extended its point streak to eight games (7-0-1-0) last night with their 4-0 win over the Cranbrook Bucks at Western Financial Place.
Will Ingemann earned his fourth consecutive shutout with his 13-save performance. Saturday was Ingemann’s sixth shutout, and his shutout streak is now over 240 minutes. He’s just 10 and a half minutes back of tying the BCHL longest shutout streak of 250:25, held by former Spruce Kings goaltender Brad Thiessen.
James Fisher, Connor MacPherson, Conyr Hellyer, and Zack Stringer scored for Penticton. Fisher scored his team-leading seventh power play goal. Fisher also extended his point streak to six games. Callum Arnott picked up an assist last night and now has points in eight-straight games.
Today is the sixth of seven games between the Vees and Smoke Eaters. So far, the Vees have won four of the first five in the season series. Penticton’s only loss to Trail came in overtime back on October 7th, at Cominco Arena. This afternoon’s matchup is the first meeting between the two squads since November 29th.
Simon Meier has nine points (2-7-9) in five games against Trail. Connor MacPherson closely follows with seven points (1-6-7). Arnott has a team best four goals in five games against the Smoke Eaters.
Andrew Ness is today’s projected starter. The 19-year-old is 12-2-2-0 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.
Forward Cade Littler was hurt early in the second period last night after he fell awkwardly into the boards behind the Bucks net. Littler is week-to-week with an upper body injury. Unfortunate news for the Vees, as they will have to play without the Calgary Flames prospect for the time being.
Looks like Attila Lippai jumps back into the lineup in place of the injured Littler. Penticton going with the same seven defencemen as last night.
Trail Smoke Eaters
GM & Head Coach: Tim Fragle
2023-24 : GP 43 21-16-6-0 (5th, Interior)
Home: 13-5-3-0
Away: 8-11-3-0
Last Game: 4-1 win at Cranbrook (Feb. 23)
GF: 146
GA: 157
Power Play: (30/148) 20.3% 12th
Penalty Kill: (33/136) 75.7% 14th
Scoring Leader: Mathieu Cobetto-Roy (22-21-43)
Trail is on a nice run since the Christmas break, winning 10 of their last 15 games and have themselves within five points of fourth place Vernon. The Smoke Eaters have won three of their last five, including Friday’s 4-1 win in Cranbrook.
In their win against the Bucks, the Smoke Eaters scored three unanswered goals to pick up a win over their Kootenay rivals. Ridge Dawson broke a 1-1 tie midway through the second period, then Judah Makway and Mathieu Cobetto-Roy scored in the third. Lucas Lemieux scored the other Trail goal back in the first.
The Smokies are now back home where they have won seven of their last nine games at Cominco Arena. Trail has quietly gone about being one of the best home teams in the Interior Division since the Christmas break.
Ridge Dawson has scored in three-straight games for the Smoke Eaters. He has four goals over that stretch. Dawson also leads the Smokies with fours in five games against the Vees. Chase Stefanek has five points over his five-game point streak.
