Vees tuning up for homestand
Penticton hosts Merritt on Friday in first game following holiday break
Minus five players and a couple of coaches, the Penticton Vees returned to the ice Tuesday at the South Okanagan Events Centre for the first practice following a 10-day holiday break.
Seventeen players — including goalies Mat Robson and Nolan Hildebrand — got back to Penticton in time for the noon-hour practice.
Five others didn’t make it due to weatherrelated travel complications, though all are expected to arrive in time for today’s practice, also at noon at the SOEC.
GM/head coach Fred Harbinson and assistant coach Steve Cocker were still in Calgary scouting the Mac’s Midget Tournament. They are due back in time for Thursday’s practice.
In the meantime, assistant coach Jason Becker is running practice. Becker put the players through a brisk skate and several drills in a spirited session that lasted just over an hour.
The Vees (28-6-1) take on the Merritt Centennials on Friday at 7 p.m. at the SOEC in the first of four straight home games after the break.
The Vees are also home to face Trail on Jan. 4, Vernon on Jan. 7 and West Kelowna on Jan. 11 before taking on Merritt in their first road game of 2017 on Jan. 13.
Penticton has a 16-point lead over secondplace Vernon as it looks to secure a sixth straight Interior Division pennant.
Struggling Merritt (12-14-7-2) is tied for last place with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, though only two points behind West Kelowna and Trail, who are tied for third.
League play resumes tonight with the Wenatchee Wild — a point ahead of the Vees for first overall in the BCHL — visiting the Chilliwack Chiefs.
On Thursday, it’s the start of a pair of key Interior home-and-home sets with Trail ABOVE: Assistant coach Jason Becker gives directions during practice Tuesday. Becker ran the practice with GM/head coach Fred Harbinson and assistant Steve Cocker away until Thursday. RIGHT: Defenceman Joe Leahy works on a skating and stickhandling drill at practice on Tuesday. visiting West Kelowna and Salmon Arm travelling to Vernon.
Meanwhile, Vees defenceman Griffin Mendel was named to Team West for the 12th annual Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects Game.
Team West plays Team East in the game on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 4:30 p.m. in Cornwall, Ont. Former Vees forward Desi Burgart was also named to the team, as was Vernon Vipers goalie Ty Taylor and West Kelowna Warriors forward Parm Dhaliwal.
KIJHL
Kootenay International Junior Hockey League play also resumes tonight, with the surging Osoyoos Coyotes welcoming the Kelowna Chiefs to the Sun Bowl Arena in a 7:35 p.m. puck-drop.
The Coyotes (22-5-1) have 11 wins and an overtime loss in their last 12 games and lead the Summerland Steam by three points atop the Okanagan Division.
The Steam returns to action on Thursday, with the last-place Princeton Posse visiting Summerland Arena in a 7:30 p.m. puck-drop.