It’s the Penticton Vees (47-6-1-0) second-to-last home game of the regular season tonight, when they host the Victoria Grizzlies (22-28-0-4), and they have a chance to make it a memorable one. A win tonight and the Vees move into a tie for second in single-season wins in franchise history (48).
The 2000-01 Penticton Panthers and the 2009-10 Penticton Vees each had 48 win seasons, and only the RBC Cup winning squad from 2011-12 has more wins (54). A win would also put the Vees one step closer to reaching 50 in a single season, which has only been done four times in the history of the BCHL; all four of those teams went on to play in the RBC Cup Final. Three of the four won the National Championship.
Penticton pushed their win streak to eight last night, edging out the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 3-2 on the road. Captain Tyson Jost broke a 2-2 late in the third period, redirecting a David Eccles point-shot past the Silverbacks goalie with just under five-minutes left. Demico Hannoun and Chris Gerrie also scored in the win, which was the Vees’ first in Salmon Arm this season and first since October of last season.
Victoria started their three-game road trip with a 2-1 setback across the border in Wenatchee Friday. Wild forward Brendan Harris broke a 1-1 tie late in the second period on a breakaway. The Grizz’ conclude their road trip tomorrow afternoon in Langley, a matinee against the Rivermen.
This is the second and final meeting between the two teams this season, as they met just over two weeks ago in the provincial capital. The Vees won in dramatic fashion, erasing a 5-2 third period deficit for the 7-5 come-from-behind win.
Penticton has won six in a row at home and has only lost once on home ice all season, that back on January 9th to Salmon Arm. The Vees sports the BCHL’s best home record at 25-1-1-0 and are 3-0-1-0 at home against the Island Division; the only blemish a 4-4 tie with Alberni Valley in early December.
Though their road record is below the .500 mark, Victoria has had some success away from the Q Centre recently, as they’ve won seven of their last 10 road games, but have dropped their last three, including last night’s decision in Wenatchee.
Victoria has had their share of success at the SOEC in recent years, winning twice in their last three trips to the South Okanagan. Last year, the Vees edged out the Grizz 2-1 in October but the Grizz’ won 3-1 and 3-2 respectively in the two seasons prior to that; they won’t be a push over tonight.
Scott Conway and Tyson Jost carry lengthy point streaks into tonight’s game. Conway has points in his last 19-games, the longest active such streak in the league, and Jost enters tonight’s game with points in 12 straight. Speaking of streaks, Conway loves playing at home as the 20-year-old has picked up at least a point in every Vees’ home game; a run of 26 games.
Zach Driscoll will get the call between the pipes and is 19-4 on the season, with a tidy 2.02 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. Driscoll picked up the win against Victoria earlier this month, when he came into the game in relief of Anthony Brodeur.
You could say Victoria has been a Jekyll and Hyde team in 2016, based off their record at least. The Grizz had a great start to the New Year, coming out and winning their first seven games of January to pull away from the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Island Division standings, and at one point, were nipping at the heels of the Cowichan Valley Capitals who sit in third. But, when the calendar turned to February, things went sideways, as the Grizz lost seven in a row, all in regulation, and now are just a point up on the Bulldogs for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Island Division.
Brayden Gelsinger leads the way upfront, as the 20-year-old has a team-best 24 goals and 58 points in 54 games; he’s committed to Lake Superior State for next season. Gelsinger scored twice in the loss to Penticton back on February 4th. Behind Gelsinger is PJ Conlon, the Victoria Captain, who has 47 points and Cole Pickup who has 43. The Grizz also have some pop from the blue-line, as hulking blue-liner Kevin Massy is 10th in scoring amongst defensemen in the BCHL with 35 points in 52 games.
Matthew Galajda has been the go-to guy between the pipes for Victoria, as he’s played in 41 of their 54 games this season. He’s fifth in goals-against average (2.52) and has a very respectable .915 save percentage; he’ll get the start tonight.
Last night our preview keyed on the start and it won’t be any different tonight. The Vees are 35-0-1-0 when they score first and are a plus 27 in goal differential in the first period. Victoria has had some trouble early in games, as they’ve given up the game’s first goal in 21 of 54 games and are a minus 3 in goal differential in the first; they’re just 2-17-0-0 when trailing after 20.
The Vees will be without Domenic Masellis and Darius Davidson due to injury. Gabe Bast will skate in the warm-up but likely won’t see action until Wednesday at the earliest.
