Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees (14-7-1-2) are expecting one of their biggest crowds of the season for anti-bullying night on Saturday, and everyone will be treated to a game between two of the top teams in the BCHL as the Victoria Grizzlies (16-7-0-1) come to the SOEC for their only visit of the year.
The Vees are coming off a 7-4 win over the West Kelowna Warriors Wednesday night. After killing off a penalty to begin the game, due to a warmup violation, the Vees scored three goals in a 5:28 span to chase goaltender Brock Baier from the crease.
The goals came courtesy of Ryan Sandelin, Jack Barnes and Massimo Rizzo as the Vees carried a 3-0 lead into the second period. The teams traded goals in the second as Lucas Cullen scored on a power play for West Kelowna before Eric Linell restored Penticton’s three-goal lead late in the frame. The Warriors got another one back to make it 4-2 after two.
Cassidy Bowes scored his second of the season early in the third as the teams continued to trade goals for the rest of the game, with Cole Shepard and Sandelin hitting the empty net in the third period. Derek Krall finished with 26 saves in net for his fourth win of the season.
Victoria comes to Penticton leading the Island Division. They’re looking for their third straight Island Division pennant and leading the way for the Grizzlies is 17-year-old Alex Newhook, who has been ranked as a ‘A’ skater for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, tagging him as a potential first round pick.
Newhook isn’t Victoria’s only weapon however, defenceman Carter Berger is having a banner year with 12 goals and 18 assists. His 30 points leads BCHL defenceman, two ahead of Penticton’s James Miller.
Like the Vees, Victoria also has an NHL draft pick in their forward group as Riley Hughes was a seventh round pick of the New York Rangers last year. He was drafted 22 spots behind Luke Loheit at 216th overall.
Goaltender Kurtis Chapman also sits atop the BCHL in goals against, his 2,04 mark is tied with Prince George’s Logan Neaton and slightly ahead of Penticton’s Jack Lafontaine at 2.11. Chapman’s .948 save percentage however is tops in the BCHL by a wide margin. The next closest is Kolby Matthews of Coquitlam at .922, though he has played seven fewer games than Chapman.
Victoria is coming off a 6-3 win over the Express last night. The Vees and Grizzlies met early this season, just the third game of the schedule for Penticton. The Vees went 2-for-5 on the power play thanks to goals from Luke Loheit and Sandelin, but dropped a 4-3 game.
Team Statistics
Leading Scorers
Penticton Vees
Eric Linell – 15G 15A 26GP
David Silye – 8G 22A 24GP
James Miller – 12G 16A 24GP
Victoria Grizzlies
Alex Newhook – 12G 24A 24GP
Carter Berger – 12G 18A 24GP
Alex Campbell – 10G 20A 23GP
Special Teams
Penticton Vees
Power Play – 20.2 per cent (7th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill – 82.1 per cent (9th in BCHL)
Victoria Grizzlies
Power Play – 22.3 per cent (1st in BCHL)
Penalty Kill – 88.3 per cent (2nd in BCHL)
Season Series
September 15, 2018 – Vees 3 @ Grizzlies 4 Boxscore
November 17, 2018 – Vees vs Grizzlies
