Game Preview: GM #18 Vees vs. Prince George

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game Time: 7:00 pm PST

Location: SOEC, Penticton

Radio: Bounce 800 AM

Webcast: Flo Hockey 

Season Series

Oct. 11 Prince George 2 at Penticton 5

Nov. 17 Prince George at Penticton, 7:00 pm PST

Dec. 1 Prince George at Penticton, 7:00 pm PST

Jan. 5 Penticton at Prince George, 7:00 pm PST

Jan. 6 Penticton at Prince George, 6:00 pm PST

Feb. 10 Prince George at Penticton, 6:00 pm PST

Penticton Vees

GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson

Record : GP 17 13-1-2-1 (1^st, Interior)

Last Game: 6-1 win vs. Trail (Nov. 11)

Home: 7-0-0-0

Away: 6-1-2-1

GF: 75

GA: 43

Power Play: 17/57 (29.8%) 1^st

Penalty Kill: 15/48 (68.8%) 17^th

Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (10-12-22)

The Penticton Vees play their first of two home games this weekend, as they take on the Prince George Spruce Kings for the second time this season. The Vees also host the Victoria Grizzlies on Saturday.

Penticton is coming off a convincing 6-1 win over the Trail Smoke Eaters last Saturday at the SOEC. The Vees erupted for four second period goals in the victory. A nice bounce back after losing 4-3 in overtime a night earlier in Cranbrook.

Even with that loss to the Bucks, the Vees point streak sits at 16 games (13-0-2-1), as they have not lost in regulation since opening night, way back on September 22^nd. Speaking of streaks, the Vees have won 48-straight home games, dating back to April 1^st, 2022.

Francesco Dell’Elce has scored four goals in the last three games, as he is tied for the longest active goal streak in the BCHL. Dell’Elce scored twice in Saturday’s win over Trail. Dell’Elce has points in six-straight games (4G, 5A).

The Vees continue to deal with injuries, as earlier this week the team announced defenceman Leon Matthiasson will undergo season-ending surgery. Matthiasson was limited to eight games due to a hip injury. Also, forward Anselmo Rego was placed on the 30-day injured reserve, retroactive to November 7^th. Rego sustained an upper body injury late last month.

Penticton is 10-1-2-0 against the Interior Conference this season.

Prince George Spruce Kings

GM: Mike Hawes

Head Coach: Alex Evin

2023-24 : GP 16 5-8-3-0 (7^th, Interior)

Last Game: 5-4 win vs. Coquitlam (Nov. 15)

Home: 4-2-2-0

Away: 1-6-1-0

GF: 44

GA: 70

Power Play: 17/75 (22.7%) 7^th

Penalty Kill: 13/60 (78.3%) 10^th

Scoring Leader: Killian McGregor-Bennett (7-7-14)

The Spruce Kings picked up a 5-4 win at home over the Coquitlam Express on Wednesday, as they have won two of their last three games.

Prince George is in the middle of three games in four nights, as they travel over to Merritt tomorrow to face the Centennials before heading home. The Spruce Kings are 1-6-1-0 on the road this season, with their lone win coming at the BCHL Showcase in Seattle last month.

Offence hasn’t come easy for the Spruce Kings, as they sit 15^th out of 17^th in goals this season, averaging 2.75 goals per game. No player on their roster is averaging a point per game or better, as their top scorer, Killian McGregor-Bennett, has 14 points in 16 games.

The Spruce Kings have lost their last four games at the SOEC, dating back to March 4^th, 2022. Their last win in Penticton was a few weeks earlier, back on Feb 19^th, 2022, when they earned a 3-2 victory.