Penticton, BC: The Penticton Vees Junior ‘A’ Hockey Club is excited to announce they have finalized their home playoff dates for the opening round of the 2018 British Columbia Hockey League playoffs, presented by Nature’s Fare.
Regardless of who their opponent is in the first round, the Vees will host game one at the South Okanagan Events Centre Friday, March 2 at 7:00. Game two will be the following night, Saturday, March 3 at 6:00.
Game five, if necessary, would be the following Friday, March 9 and should the series need a seventh and deciding game, it would take place at the South Okanagan Events Centre Monday, March 12.
Before the playoffs begin, the Vees have two more home games to finish off the regular season, this coming Saturday and Sunday. Saturday the Vees welcome the Wenatchee Wild in a game between two Interior Division powerhouses.
The Wild currently sit third in the division, four points behind Penticton and two behind Vernon, with three games remaining, meaning Saturday’s game has the potential to have serious playoff implications in the standings. The Vees won the most recent meeting 5-2 January 6 in front of almost 3,300 fans at the SOEC. Nearly 3,000 tickets have already been sold for this game.
Sunday afternoon the Vees host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at 2:00 to wrap up the regular season. Following the game, there will be presentations on the ice for the annual team awards.
Over 3,300 fans have packed the SOEC in each of the past two years for the final game of the season, and with the team being on the cusp of becoming the first Canadian Junior Hockey League team to average 3,000 fans per game, the Vees are looking forward to another large crowd before getting set for the playoffs.
Sunday will also mark the final regular season games for a pair of long time Vees as Owen Sillinger and Taylor Ward prepare for their final playoff runs as members of the organization.
Sillinger, who joined the Vees in the 2015-16 season, has played 168 games as a Vee and hit 150 career points with a three-point effort Sunday in Surrey. Prior to this season he was named co-captain of the team along with Grant Cruikshank, and will be attending Bemidji State University in the fall.
Ward, who is in his third full season with the Vees, will suit up for his 160th career game Wednesday night in Salmon Arm. The native of Kelowna exploded offensively this season, setting career highs across the board, including more than doubling his previous career high in goals. He will be attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the fall.
Help show your appreciation for Sillinger, Ward and the rest of their teammates this weekend before the Vees gear up to defend their Fred Page Cup championship.
