Arena: SOEC
Game Time: 6pm
Radio: EZ ROCK AM 800
Watch: Fathockey Pay-Per-View
You can’t win two, unless you win one, and the Penticton Vees (28-11-2-4) have done just that. The Vees will look to make it back-to-back wins tonight when they host the Trail Smoke Eaters (9-32-2-3) at the SOEC; face-off is 6pm
The Vees snapped a three-game losing streak Friday, thumping the Vernon Vipers 6-1 at Kal-Tire Place. Erik Benoit and Cody DePourcq scored eight seconds apart inside the final five minutes of the first period, to give the visitors a 2-0 lead after one.
It was a period of firsts in the second, as rookie Jarod Hilderman and veteran Shane McColgan scored their first BCHL goals. DePourcq scored again late in the period on the power-play, as the Vees led 5-1 through two. Josh Blanchard put the finishing touches on the game midway through the third, scoring his third and first since October 4th.
Olivier Mantha marked his return to the net by making 31 saves for his 15th win of the season and first since January 11th; Mantha missed the last three due to illness.
The win came at a price, as Matt Serratore left the game in the first period and didn’t return after he took a high stick on the chin; good news, as he was patched up post-game and will play tonight.
The Vees will be icing the same line-up as Friday, with the one change coming in goal, as Hunter Miska gets the call. Miska last played on Saturday against Salmon Arm and owns a 13-5-2-4 record to go along with a 2.27 goals-against average, whilst maintaining a .915 save-percentage.
The Vees are 4-0-0 against the Smokies this season, including a 3-2 win at the SOEC back on December 11th; Trail’s only visit to Penticton thus far. Despite the run of success, the Vees have been pushed by Trail, as the last two meetings were decided by just one goal. In those two wins, the Vees came back from two two-goal second period deficits.
The Vees are 15-7-1-2 against the Interior Division and 6-2-0-2 at home against the Interior.
Trail was shutout at home by the Surrey Eagles Friday, as Devon Fordyce stopped all 31 shots directed his way. The Smoke Eaters are 1-3-0-1 in their last five games but did pick up three out of a possible six points on a Mainland Division road swing last weekend.
These two meet again February 5th back here at the SOEC.
