Where: SOEC
When: 7pm
Listen: EZ Rock AM 800
Watch: Fasthockey
The Penticton Vees (9-3-0-0) continue their five-game home stand Wednesday night when they host the Merritt Centennials (7-7-0-0) at the SOEC. The Vees have ran the table on their home schedule thus far, sporting a perfect 5-0-0 record at the SOEC; they wrap-up the home stand Friday against West Kelowna.
The Vees are coming off a memorable 4-3 double overtime win against the Powell River Kings on Saturday. In a building we've come accustomed to seeing the improbable; Vees fans witnessed the impossible last Saturday. Down two goals with less than a minute left in regulation, the Vees scored twice with the goalie pulled, including tying the game with less than three seconds left in regulation. Brad McClure completed the comeback in double-overtime lifting his team to their third straight win.
The Vees are looking for their second win against the Merritt Centennials in as many games this season. The Vees took a 4-1 decision back on September 27th in their home opener. Ben Dalpe opened the scoring on the power-play in the first and the Vees exploded for three goals in the third period. Travis Blanleil and Cody DePourcq scored in the third and Blanleil, Dalpe and Brett Beauvais each finished with two points.
The Vees will be without Blake Butzow (sick) and Cam Amantea (upper-body). The Vees will have 16 year-old AP Liam Finlay in the line-up tonight. Finlay plays for the Okanagan Rockets of the British Columbia Major Midget League (BCMML). Finlay is second in team scoring in seventh overall in the BCMML (4-7-13); he'll wear number 14 tonight.
Hunter Miska gets the start in net tonight, with Olivier Mantha likely getting the nod against West Kelowna Friday.
The Merritt Centennials (7-7-0-0) have been off since Saturday as well and are looking to rebound after a 4-2 loss at home to Coquitlam. Since the Cents' last played the Vees they sport a 4-2-0-0 record and are actually better on the road (4-3-0-0) then they are at home (3-4-0-0).
Sebastian Pare leads the way offensively, as he leads the team in goal-scoring (5) and points (12). The Cents' look to have solved the log-jam in the crease by sending Connor LaCouvee (94) to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, in exchange for future considerations. The Cents' had signed LaCouvee after Russell Sanderson went on IR last month. Devin Karo looks to be the starter tonight against the Vees. Kero was the goaltender saddled with the loss three weeks ago.
