The Penticton Vees (17-3-0-0) continue their three-game home stand tonight against the Coquitlam Express (6-13-2-0) at the SOEC, on another BCAA “Wicked Wednesday.” The Vees have won back-to-back games and six of their last seven. The Express have lost three in a row and are winless in their last five games.
This morning the Vees made a trade, sending 20-year-old defenceman David Eccles to the Nanaimo Clippers for future considerations. Details on that trade can be found here.
Penticton is coming off wins over Salmon Arm (4-1) and Prince George (3-2) last weekend, whereas the Express were swept south of the border in Wenatchee, and were outscored 16-2 in those two games by the Wild.
Tonight is the first of two interdivisional meetings between the Vees and Express, as they meet again a week from Friday, November 18th, in Coquitlam. Last year the Vees won both games against the Express, and both were in November as well. It took double overtime to squeeze out a 1-0 win in Penticton on November 18th, before the Vees derailed the Express 8-2 win on November 21st.
Penticton is 6-1-0-0 at home this season and they’ve won all three of their home games against the Mainland Division, beating Langley 3-1, Surrey 3-0 and PG 3-2. Coming into tonight’s game the Vees are 7-1-0-0 against the division.
The Express have won two of their five games against the Interior Division but have split their two road games against Vernon and Salmon Arm. Coquitlam has had their struggles away from home, as they’re winless in their last six road games, and haven’t won on the road since October 2nd; they picked up a point in PG on October 28th, in a 3-3 tie.
18-year-old Nolan Hildebrand will get the start for the Vees and is making his first start at home, and first since October 21st. Hildebrand is 3-0, owning a 2.67 goals-against average and sports a .901 save percentage.
The Vees did activate Gabe Bast from the Injured Reserve this week but it remains to be seen when the veteran defenceman returns to the line-up. Jonny Tychonick is also back with the team after playing at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Ontario, for the past two weeks. Tychonick is back in the line-up tonight and will be paired witch Mitch Meek.
The Express are starting 20-year-old Lawson Fenton, who has only played in five games this year. Fenton is 2-2-1 on the year, with a 5.45 goals-against average and a .880 save percentage. Reid Cooper has carried the bulk of the load for the Express in goal, playing in 17 of their 21 games.
Coquitlam’s recent struggles may coincide with a rash of injuries in recent weeks. Their leading scorer, Owen Stout, hasn’t played since October 23rd, and two key pieces on their blue-line are missing in Domenic Masellis and David Giunta. Masellis, a former Vee, hasn’t played since October 8th, and Giunta last played October 29th in Prince George. Coquitlam will only dress nine regular forwards tonight and four regular defencemen. They’ll have two AP’s on their blue-line and one up front.
The Express have called-up Haydn Delorme from the Vancouver NE Chiefs of the BC Major Midget League, and defencemen Lucas Wong from the Burnaby Winter Club and Brett Cox from the Grandview Steelers of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League.
Fans can listen to the game locally on EZ Rock AM 800, on their mobile device or tablet, via the iHeartRadio Canada app, or they can watch the BCHL webcast on www.hockeyTV.com
