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GAME PREVIEW: Vees Host Warriors On New Year’s Eve

PHOTO: Cherie Morgan/Cherie Morgan Photography

The Penticton Vees (20-4-0-1) look to get back into the win column in the final game of the year 2021 as they host the West Kelowna Warriors (17-9-0-0) on New Year’s Eve at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

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2021/22 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE vs. WEST KELOWNA

Tuesday, November 23rd @ Royal LePage Place (6-3 Vees) (BOXSCORE)

Saturday, December 18th @ Royal LePage Place (5-2 Warriors) (BOXSCORE)

Wednesday, December 29th @ Royal LePage Place (4-3 Warriors) (BOXSCORE)

Friday, December 31st @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)

Saturday, January 1st @ Royal LePage Place (7:00 PM)

Friday, January 7th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (7:00 PM)

Wednesday, March 16th @ South Okanagan Events Centre (6:30 PM)

It is the fourth game of the seven-game season series between the Vees and Warriors with West Kelowna picking up the latest win in the season set, defeating Penticton by a 4-3 score on Wednesday night at Royal LePage Place. Owen Simpson, Luc Wilson and Josh Nadeau each found the back of the net for the Vees while Carter Serhyenko turned aside 17 of the 21 shots thrown his way in his 1st start of his Vees career.

Vees Leading Scorers:

Luc Wilson (15-23-38)

Fin Williams (12-24-36)

Josh Nadeau (19-14-33)

Brett Moravec (13-12-25)

Bradly Nadeau (10-12-22)

Vees forward and assistant captain Luc Wilson continued his point streak with his 2nd period goal on Wednesday night, collecting points in four consecutive contests. The University ofn Minnesota-Mankato commit has scored two goals while adding six assists for eight points over the course of his last four games while earning a point in 13 of his last 14 outings. The Duncan, BC native has vaulted his way up to 2nd in the league in scoring, potting 15 goals and adding 23 assists for 38 points on the campaign.

Penticton returns home to the South Okanagan Events Centre for the final time in 2021 and will look to keep their strong record of play during the 2021/22 season and overall year going on home ice. The Vees have earned a point in each of their 13 home games this season, possessing a record of 12-0-0-1 on the campaign while the year of 2021 has been a big success for the Vees going back to the Pod Season, where every game was played in Penticton, with the Vees owning a 21-1-0-1 record at home over the course of the year.

To go along with their final game of the calendar year tonight, the Vees are finishing off a very hectic December schedule, which has seen them in action a total of 10 times through the year’s final month. The 10 games are the most of any team in the BCHL in the month and has seen the Vees have a record of 6-2-0-1, scoring 6 or more goals in 4 of those 10 games.

The West Kelowna Warriors come into Friday night’s New Year’s Eve showdown after defeating the Vees on Wednesday night in the Central Okanagan by a 4-3 score. Chase Dafoe scored a pair of goals in the contest for the Warriors while Felix Trudeau and Elan Bar-Lev-Wise added singles in the victory. Johnny Derrick turned aside 32 of the 35 shots thrown his way in his 13th win of the season.

Warriors Leading Scorers:

Felix Trudeau (19-16-35)

Elan Bar-Lev-Wise (14-13-27)

Tyler Cristall (14-11-25)

John Evans (8-14-22)

Marcus Joughin (2-20-22)

A goal in Wednesday night’s tilt has given Warriors forward and leading scorer Felix Trudeau points in four of his last five games and goals in back-to-back contests, leading the team with 19 tallies on the season. The University of Maine commit has posted four goals and three assists for seven points over that five-game span, including a point in each of the three head-to-head meetings against the Vees this season. The Terrebonne, Quebec native sits tied in 4th with Vees forward Josh Nadeau in goal scoring with 19 markers on the season.

With an assist on Wednesday night, forward John Evans has points in each of his last five games, including points in all three games against the Vees. The University of New Hampshire commit has posted three goals and five assists for eight points over the course of his last five games, along with a three-point outing against the Vernon Vipers on December 11th.

Johnny Derrick will be the likely netminder to get the call into action tonight and with good reasoning as the 20-year-old goaltender has wins in three of his last four appearances and has faired well against the Vees over the course of his last two games. The Victoria, BC native has turned aside 58 of the 65 shots he has faced in his last two games against Penticton and has played in 68 career games in the BCHL with the Warriors over three seasons, registering a 3.25 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.

The Vees and Warriors play the fourth of their seven-game season series and the third of five consecutive head-to-head matchups on Friday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with tickets available for purchase at the Valley First Box Office at the SOEC as well as online at valleyfirsttix.com. The game will be broadcasted live on Bounce Radio 800 as well as BCHLTV.ca beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM.