PHOTO: Cherie Morgan/Cherie Morgan Photography
The Penticton Vees (42-8-1-2) will conclude their regular season schedule with a matchup against the Merritt Centennials (3-46-2-2) on Sunday afternoon at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
2021/22 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE VS. MERRITT
Friday, November 26th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (8-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Tuesday, December 7th @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena (8-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, January 21st @ South Okanagan Events Centre (11-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, February 4th @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena (5-3 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Friday, February 25th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (5-2 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Wednesday, March 2nd @ Nicola Valley Memorial Arena (4-2 Vees) (BOXSCORE)
Sunday, March 27th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (4:00 PM)
Penticton will look to head into the playoffs on a victorious note following a 4-3 overtime defeat at the hands of the West Kelowna Warriors on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Adam Eisele scored twice in the game while Josh Nadeau also added a marker in a come-from-behind effort in the 3rd period before falling in overtime. Kaeden Lane made 25 saves on the 29 shots thrown his way in his 3rd overtime loss of the season.
The Vees and Centennials will finish their regular season schedules and season set against one another on Sunday with Penticton having won each of the first six head-to-head matchups with Merritt, including a 4-2 victory at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena in early March. Ethan Mann, Spencer Smith, Aydar Suniev and Ryan Hopkins each found the back of the net in the win while Carter Serhyenko made 23 saves on 25 shots for the win in goal.
Vees Leading Scorers:
Luc Wilson (28-43-71)
Josh Nadeau (39-30-69)
Bradly Nadeau (18-24-42)
Brett Moravec (20-17-37)
Fin Williams (12-25-37)
The Vees will ice a lineup of 11 forwards and 7 defensmen in their final game of the regular season which sees the BC Hockey League debut of defender Payton McDonald-Corea, a member of the KIJHL’s Osoyoos Coyotes. The St. Albert, Alberta native scored 10 goals and added 28 assists for 38 points in 36 games played this season while also amassing 198 penalty minutes in that span but has some junior hockey experience, playing in 40 games with the Olds Grizzlys in the 2019/20 season. Jackson Nieuwendyk, Stefano Bottini and Ryan Hopkins will get the afternoon off in the final game of the regular season.
Josh Nadeau will be looking to hit a milestone that only one other player in the BCHL has hit this season: scoring 40 goals. Only Matthew Wood of the Victoria Grizzlies has hit the elusive 40-goal mark this campaign as Josh comes into the game on Sunday one goal short of that mark. The University of Maine commit would be the first Vee since Scott Conway and Tyson Jost in the 2015/16 season to amass the 40-goal plateau and would become the seventh Vee since the 2009/10 season to hit the mark, joining Conway, Jost, Denver Manderson, Beau Bennett, Mario Lucia, Bryce Gervais and Brad McClure.
The Merritt Centennials come into the final game of the regular season following a 7-2 loss to the West Kelowna Warriors on Saturday night at Royal LePage Place. Jackson Krill and Levi Carter each found the back of the net for the Centennials in the loss while affiliate goaltender Peyton Trzaska turned aside 30 of the 36 shots thrown his way in his 2nd loss of the season.
Centennials Leading Scorers:
Ben Ward (16-11-27)
Davide Patella (11-12-23)
Levi Carter (5-16-21)
Tristan Allen (1-20-21)
Connor Farren (7-9-16)
Four-year Centennials forward Ben Ward will see his junior career come to a close following this afternoon’s contest against the Vees and the scrappy 20-year-old has played hard through his 138 career games in the BCHL. The Kamloops, BC native has earned points in five of his last seven games, collecting 4 goals and adding 2 assists for 6 points in that span.
Ward is one of two 20-year-olds that will play their final game of their junior hockey career on Sunday as joining him in that regard is forward Josh Olson, who suits up in his the last of his 51 games in the BCHl, splitting time with the Cents and Salmon Arm Silverbacks. For Olson, the Salmon Arm, BC native has spent time in the Junior B circuit as well, playing in the KIJHL with the Sicamous Eagles, Revelstoke Grizzlies and Princeton Posse
The Vees and Centennials will play in the final game of their season series on Sunday with a 4:00 PM puck drop at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Tickets are available for purchase at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC, opening at 10 AM on Sunday, as well as online at valleyfirsttix.com. Fans are encouraged to stick around following the game as the Vees will be presenting their annual team awards immediately following the final buzzer.
