GAME DAY: BCHL Final, GM 1 Vees vs. Alberni Valley Bulldogs

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 7:00 pm PDT

Location: SOEC

Radio: Bounce 800 am

Webcast: Hockey TV 

Penticton Vees

GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

2023 Playoffs: GP 13 12-1

Home: 7-0

Away: 5-1

GF: 69

GA: 24

Power Play: 36.7% (18/49)

Penalty Kill: 87.2% (5/39)

Scoring Leader: Bradly Nadeau (17-13-30)

*If necessary

Road to the Fred Page Cup: The Penticton Vees advanced to their second consecutive BCHL Fred Page Cup Final after defeating the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in five games, in the Interior Conference Final. The Vees clinched the Ryan Hatfield Trophy, as Interior Conference champions, with their 7-4 Game Five win a week ago today.

Penticton also beat Wenatchee and Trail in the first two rounds of the BCHL Playoffs. The Vees swept the Smoke Eaters in the opening round of the playoffs and followed that up with a four-game sweep of the Wild in round two. Penticton’s only loss of the BCHL Playoffs came in Game Four of Round Three in overtime against the Silverbacks.

Game Preview: Penticton opens their defence of their Fred Page Cup title tonight in Game One against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The Vees have been off for a week, since clinching the Interior Conference championship over Salmon Arm on May 5^th.

Tonight, is the first time the Vees have faced the Bulldogs since November 25^th, and the first time at the SOEC this season. In their last meeting, Penticton picked up a 7-1 victory over the Bulldogs in Port Alberni back in late November. The Vees also scored a 7-4 win over the ‘Dogs at the BCHL Showcase in October.

Bradly Nadeau leads the BCHL Playoffs in scoring with 30 points (17G, 13A) in 13 games. The 18-year-old leads the BCHL in goals (17) and power play goals (6) as well. His older brother Josh Nadeau is second in league scoring with 28 points (11G, 17A) and his point streak sits at 10 games. He has 21 points (10G, 11A) in his last 10 games.

Captain Frank Djurasevic has points in his last six games (1G, 6A) and leads all BCHL defenceman with 12 points (2G, 10A) in 13 games.

Luca Di Pasquo leads the BCHL Playoffs in wins (12), goals-against average (1.87) and is tied for first in save percentage (.928).

Penticton is undefeated at home in the BCHL Playoffs with seven wins in seven games and have won 41-straight games at home dating back to April 1, 2022. The Vees are averaging just over six goals per game at home. Their average margin of victory at home is just over four goals per game.

Alberni Valley Bulldogs

GM & Head Coach: Joe Martin

2023 Playoffs: GP 15 12-3

Home: 7-0

Away: 5-3

GF: 64

GA: 36

Power Play: 21.6% (8/37)

Penalty Kill: 83.6% (6/37)

Scoring Leader: Dakota MacIntosh (11-11-12)

Road to the Fred Page Cup: The Bulldogs have had an impressive run to their first ever BCHL Fred Page Cup Final appearance. Alberni Valley has lost just three times over the previous three rounds and have swept two of their three series.

The ‘Dogs beat the Chilliwack Chiefs to clinch their first Cliff McNabb Trophy has Coastal Conference champions. Alberni Valley came back from a 2-0 series deficit to beat the Surrey Eagles in seven games in Round Two. AVB knocked-off the Victoria Grizzlies in Round One.

Game Preview: Alberni Valley are the debutants, making their first ever Fred Page Cup Final appearance. The franchise debuted in the BCHL as the Burnaby Bulldogs in the 1998-99 season, before moving to Port Alberni in 2002-03. It’s been a long time coming for this franchise.

Tonight, is the Bulldogs first trip to Penticton since November 10, 2021. That was 548 days ago. The Vees edged the ‘Dogs 2-1 in overtime on that night.

Alberni Valley boasts a lot of depth of front with six players with 10 or more points in the BCHL Playoffs. Dakota MacIntosh leads the ‘Dogs with 22 points (11G, 11A), followed by Brandon Buhr who has 21 points (7G, 14A). MacIntosh and Buhr sit third and fourth in BCHL Playoff scoring.

A great story has been in goal in 20-year-old Campbell Arnold. The Nanaimo, B.C., product has won seven of his eight starts since replacing the injured Hobie Hedquist in Round Two. Arnold has posted impressive numbers, owning a 2.04 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. Impressive considering, he went over a month between appearances. Arnold’s last game action before the playoffs was March 11^th. He then relieved an injured Hedquist in Game Four against Surrey on April 19^th.