Season Series
Oct 28th: Penticton 4 at Vernon 2
Nov 11th: Vernon 3 at Penticton 2
Nov 12th: Penticton 3 at Vernon 1
Dec 7th: Vernon 1 at Penticton 3
Jan 7th: Vernon 4 at Penticton 2
Jan 25th: Vernon 3 at Penticton 3
Jan 27th: Penticton 1 at Vernon 3
Playoff Schedule
GM 1: Vernon 3 at Penticton 2
GM 2: Vernon 2 at Penticton 4
GM 3: Penticton 4 at Vernon 2
GM 4: Penticton 0 at Vernon 3
GM 5: Vernon 2 at Penticton 3 (OT)
GM 6: Penticton 1 at Vernon 5
GM 7: Tonight, 7 pm at SOEC
For the third time and four years, the Penticton Vees and Vernon Vipers need a Game Seven to decide the Interior Division Championship. The Vipers forced the winner-take-all showdown tonight, after a convincing 5-1 win in Game Six back on Saturday at Kal-Tire Place.
It’s the second straight series that is going the distance for the Vees, as they beat the Merritt Centennials 6-2 in Game Seven back on March 27th. This is Vernon’s first Game Seven since they lost 2-0 to the Vees in the Interior Final in 2015.
Coming into tonight’s game, the Vees as a franchise are 13-9 in Game Seven’s, having won their last two, and the Vipers are 8-7, splitting their last two. This will be the eighth Game Seven between the two Okanagan rivals and the Vipers have a slight edge in the head-to-head matchup, as they’ve won four of seven thus far.
Penticton will be without forward Chris Klack, as he and Vernon’s Chris Jandric were suspended one game each under the Junior A Supplement. Their tussle with half a minute left in the game was the second fight during the same stoppage, and are each automatically suspended one game. Though he may have struggled in the series, Klack has 11 points in 13 playoff games. No word yet on who will replace Klack up front.
Speaking of struggles, the Vees will need more from some of their veteran players, including the likes of Duncan Campbell and Owen Sillinger who have yet to record a point in this series. Campbell hasn’t scored since Game Seven against Merritt and Sillinger hasn’t scored since Game Five of that series.
With Klack out of tonight’s game, Sillinger’s line will need to help pick up the slack. Sillinger, Grant Cruikshank and Ty Amonte have three goals and six points in this series. Nicholas Jones has the most points of any Vee with two goals and six points against the Vipers.
Penticton will also need to clean up their starts, as they’ve given up the game’s first goal in four of six games against Vernon, including the last three. When the Vees score first in the playoffs they’re 5-0, when they don’t they’re 2-6.
How even has it been between these two teams? Well, if you include the regular season, they each have six wins and six losses and one tie. Penticton has scored 33 goals in 13 games against Vernon this year, and the Vipers have scored 34.
Speaking of Jones, he still leads the team in playoff scoring with 18 points in 13 games, which is good enough for second in the BCHL scoring race behind Chilliwack’s Jordan Kawaguchi. Following Jones are Gabe Bast (11), Chris Klack (11), Mitch Meek (7) and Ty Amonte (6).
Penticton will need to find a way to throw some cold water on Jesse Lansdell. The Vipers forward has four goals and seven points in this series and is riding an eight-game point streak.
Mitch Meek has been producing against his former team, as the veteran defenceman has two goals and four points in the last five games of this series.
Vees Playoff Scoring:
| Nicholas Jones | 7-11-18 |
| Gabe Bast | 4-7-11 |
| Chris Klack | 2-9-11 |
| Mitch Meek | 3-4-7 |
| Ty Amonte | 1-5-6 |
Vipers Playoff Scoring:
| Jimmy Lambert | 5-9-14 |
| Steven Jandric | 8-2-10 |
| Jagger Williamson | 6-3-9 |
| Jesse Lansdell | 4-5-9 |
| Brett Stapley | 1-8-9 |
Tonight’s game can be heard on EZ Rock AM 800 locally, or via the iHeartRadio app on your iPhone, iPad, smartphone and or tablet. The game is also available via the BCHL webcast at www.HockeyTV.com
