BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PST
Location: South Okanagan Events Centre, Penticton
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
| Season Series | Playoffs |
| Dec. 8, Penticton 0 at Salmon Arm 1 | GM 1: May 3, Salmon Arm 2 at Penticton 0 |
| Dec. 9, Salmon Arm 2 at Penticton 1 | GM 2: May 4, Salmon Arm at Penticton, 7:00pm |
| Dec. 30, Penticton 3 at Salmon Arm 4 | GM 3: May 6, Penticton at Salmon Arm, 7:00pm |
| Feb 2, Penticton 5 at Salmon Arm 2 | GM 4: May 8, Penticton at Salmon Arm, 7:00pm |
| Feb 19, Penticton 2 at Salmon Arm 3 (OT) | GM 5: May 10, Salmon Arm at Penticton, 7:00pm* |
| March 23, Salmon Arm 2 at Penticton 1 (SO) | GM 6: May 12, Penticton at Salmon Arm, 7:00pm* |
| GM 7: May 14, Salmon Arm at Penticton, 7:00pm* | |
| *If necessary |
Penticton Vees
President, GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Regular Season Record: GP 54 38-10-3-3, 1st in the Interior Conference
Playoff Record: 8-2
Last Game: 2-0 loss vs. Salmon Arm (May 2)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-1
GF: 27
GA: 14
Power Play: (4/24) 16.7%
Penalty Kill: (2/21) 90.5%
Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (4-4-8)
Thursday was the Vees first home playoff loss in over two years, as they were blanked by the Silverbacks 2-0 at the SOEC in Game One of the Interior Final.
The loss snapped a 22-game home win streak in the BCHL Playoffs. Before Thursday, the last time the Vees lost a home playoff game was March 31, 2022.
Game One was just the second time the Vees have been shutout this season too. The only other time? You guessed it, against Salmon Arm on December 8th (1-0).
Penticton heavily outshot the Silverbacks in Game One 37-11 and held the ‘Backs to just five shots over the final 40 minutes. Salmon Arm only had one shot in the third period.
The Vees now look to bounce back an get a split, before the series shifts to Salmon Arm. Penticton was 11-4 in the regular season coming off a loss, so they have a track record of bouncing back after a setback.
One lineup change will be in goal, as Will Ingemann gets the call between the pipes. Ingemann played 30 minutes in Game One in a relief role. He stopped all four shots he faced. Ingemann has had an excellent postseason, posting a 5-0 record, with a 1.00 goals-against average, and .945 save percentage. He has two shutouts.
Penticton will try and solve Eli Pulver, as they look to get on the scoresheet for the first time in the series.
Salmon Arm Silverbacks
General Manager: Brooks Christensen
Head Coach: Tyler Shattock
Regular Season Record: GP 54 34-17-0-3, 3rd in the Interior Conference
Playoff Record: 8-3
Last Game: 2-0 win at Penticton (May 2)
Home: 4-1
Away: 5-2
GF: 41
GA: 21
Power Play: (6/35) 17.1%
Penalty Kill: (28/32) 87.5%
Scoring Leader: Cole Cooksey (7-6-13)
The Silverbacks look for a commanding 2-0 series lead going into Game Two. Salmon Arm defended extremely well Thursday.
Salmon Arm capitalized on their limited opportunities, as they scored on their first shot of the first period, seven and a half minutes into the game, and then scored during a four-on-four sequence in the second.
Blocked shots, box outs, and strong goaltending was the key to success in Game One. Salmon Arm didn’t give up much in the middle, as they did a good job of keeping the Vees to the outside Thursday. Can they do that again tonight?
One interesting note is the workload for Eli Pulver. In the regular season, he only made back-to-back starts on consecutive nights eight times. He only won three of those games and had a save percentage of .900. Now, he has posted better numbers in the playoffs, going 2-3 in the second game of back-to-backs, with .917 save percentage. Nonetheless, something to keep tabs on in Game Two.
Salmon Arm is 3-0 at the SOEC if you include the regular season. In those three games they have limited the Vees to just two goals. Impressive.
