For the third consecutive season, the Penticton Vees and Vernon Vipers will face-off in the Fred Page Cup playoffs, as they get set to write another chapter in their longtime rivalry.
The best-of-seven Interior Division Semi-Final kicks-off Friday, March 4th, at the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC); puck drop is 7 pm and is brought to you by Otter Co-Op.
Season Series
Sep 16th 3-2 Vees, SOEC
Oct 25th 4-3 Vees, SOEC
Dec 4th 3-0 Vees, SOEC
Dec 15th 5-4 Vees, Kal-Tire Place
Jan 1st 6-0 Vees, Kal-Tire Place
Jan 8th 4-1 Vees, Kal-tire Place
Playoff Schedule
GM 1: Mar 4th at SOEC, 7 pm
GM 2: Mar 6th at SOEC, 6 pm
GM 3: Mar 8th at Kal-Tire Place, 7 pm
GM 4: Mar 9th at Kal-Tire Place, 7 pm
*GM 5: Mar 11th at SOEC, 7 pm
*GM 6: Mar 12th at Kal-Tire Place, 6 pm
*GM 7: Mar 14th at SOEC, 7 pm
*If necessary
The Vees won all six of their regular season meetings against the Vipers this season, the first time in a decade the team has swept their Okanagan rivals. That includes all three games at the SOEC and two of the six wins came in overtime.
Penticton had another outstanding regular season, capturing a BCHL record fifth consecutive Interior Division pennant and won their second straight Ron Boileau Trophy, as BCHL regular season champions with a 50-7-1-0 record. The 50-wins is the second-most in franchise history and marks just the fifth time in BCHL history, a team has hit the 50-win mark. This year’s Vees join the 2011-12 squad, the 1989-90 New Westminster Royals and the 1998-99 and 2009-10 Vipers teams in the 50-win club. Three of the four went on to win the national championship in the same season and all four reached the RBC / Centennial Cup Final.
The Vees are the defending Fred Page Cup and Western Canada Cup champions and are seeking their third BCHL championship in five years.
Vernon clinched the fourth seed in the Interior Division in their final game of the regular season, when they trounced the Trail Smoke Eaters 7-2; Vernon edged out Trail and the Merritt Centennials for the final playoff spot in the Interior.
The Vees will be giving away blue playoff t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans at game one on Friday, March 4th, and will be selling additional t-shirts at $10 apiece, while supplies last. Fans, the Vees need you to “Paint the Town Blue,” this post-season!
Playoff tickets are available at the Valley First box office (at the SOEC), or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com. Season ticket holders have until 12 pm on Friday, March 4th, to secure their seats for game one. Single game tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for seniors.
