Game Preview: GM #15 Vees vs. Brooks Bandits
Photo: Cherie Morgan Photography
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 6:00 pm PDT
Location: South Okanagan Events Centre
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
September 27, Penticton 1 at Brooks 4
November 2, Brooks at Penticton
January 24, Penticton at Brooks
February 1, Brooks at Penticton
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 14, 11-3-0-0, 22 PTS (2nd, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 5-2 Win vs Blackfalds, November 1st
Home: 5-0-0-0
Away: 6-3-0-0
GF: 56
GA: 38
Power Play: 14 / 49 (28.6%, 4th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 28/ 35 (76.5, 13th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (6-8-14)
The Penticton Vees prepare for their biggest game of the season to date Saturday night, as Brooks rolls into town for their first visit as a member of the BCHL. The two last met September 27th, at Centennial Regional Arena in Brooks, with the Bandits emerging victorious by a 4-1 score. Both Penticton and Brooks played Friday, picking up victories in their respective games.
For the Vees that win came at home over the Blackfalds Bulldogs. A great first period saw them score four times and cruise to a 5-2 win. Local Penticton product, Sharky Nowek, made 13 saves for his second win of the season. Ben Merrill scored twice while Max Heise, Luke Posthumus and Simon Meier each notched a goal.
With the injuries to Penticton’s defence core, spotlight has shone recently on both Zach Nyman (‘08) and Callum Stone (‘07). The young defensemen have been called upon to play much larger roles and heavier minutes than originally anticipated for the Vees through 14 games and have stepped up while the Vees try to fill the minutes of the injured Matthew Biotti and Michael Fisher.
Will Ingemann draws the start in the crease Saturday as the Vees look to their netminder for a quality start against the league’s best team. Ingemann took over last Saturday in a relief appearance, ending up as the goaltender of record in Penticton’s 5-4 overtime victory over Vernon.
Brooks Bandits
General Manager & Head Coach: Ryan Papaioannou
2024-25: GP 14 13-1-0-0, 26 PT (1st, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 4-1 Win at West Kelowna, November 1st
Home: 7-0-0-0
Away: 6-1-0-0
GF: 61
GA: 23
Power Play: 14/65 (21.5%, 9th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 48/53 (90.6%, 1st in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Nathan Free (8-11-19)
The high-flying Brooks Bandits enter Saturday night as the BCHL’s best team with 26 points and just one loss as their season reaches the quarter mark. They arrive to the SOEC for the first time as a member of the BCHL after a 4-1 victory over West Kelowna on Friday night at Royal Lepage Place.
Nic Peluso had a pair of points (1-1-2) while Jack Rosensteel, Nathan Free and Jace Letourneau also scored for the Bandits in their victory. Johnny Hicks nearly posted his fourth shutout in 11 appearances this season, but West Kelowna’s Jack Farrell spoiled the party with just nine seconds remaining.
The calling card for the Bandits is both their ability to score and their ability to defend. Playing a sound 200-foot game consistently is something that they excel at, and that’s shown in their massive +38 goal differential. They’ve given up an average of just 1.64 goals per game through a quarter of the season while scoring over four and a half goals per game, on average.
The 19-year-old Hicks has handled the bulk of the goaltending for Brooks, earning 11 of the Bandits’ 13 wins. The former Merritt Centennials goaltender recently committed to Tennessee State University for 2025/26 and leads the BCHL in wins, shutouts, goals against average (1.16) and save percentage (.949%). He was the goaltender of record and picked up the win in Brooks’ 4-1 victory over Penticton on September 27th.
Puck drop is set for 6:00pm PDT from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton as the top two teams in the BCHL get set for battle. You can follow all the action live on FloHockey or locally on radio beginning at 6:40pm PDT thanks to the official broadcast partners of the Penticton Vees, Bounce 800AM.