Vees ‘embracing’ Game 7 against Merritt
Penticton set to host deciding game tonight, winner to face Vernon
Embrace the moment. That’s what GM and head coach Fred Harbinson is urging his Penticton Vees to do ahead of tonight’s Game 7 showdown with the Merritt Centennials at 7 p.m. at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
“We talked to the boys at length, told them you only get so many opportunities to be part of something like this,” said Harbinson. “It’s not something to be nervous about it. It’s exciting for everyone involved . . . go out and embrace the moment.”
While Harbinson insists he “really likes” the demeanour of his team, there undoubtedly is some psyche to be rebuilt after the Vees surrendered a 3-1 series lead — falling 5-4 on home ice and then 2-1 in overtime in Merritt on Friday on a goal by Penticton product Tyrell Buckley.
“It’s been a helluva series,” said Harbinson, who has won at least one playoff series in his first nine years with the Vees. “We had opportunities to win Games 5 and 6, but they found a way.
“It’s the first team to win four. You work all year to get that extra home game and here we are, and if we play the way we expect to, we should be in great shape. Hopefully the whole city gets behind us and helps push us through here.”
The Vees have a strong 3-1 record under Harbinson in series-deciding games — including Game 7 wins over Vernon in 2008 and 2015 that catapulted Penticton to BCHL championships.
This time, the Vees are just trying to get a chance to play the Vipers starting Friday at the SOEC. Penticton Vees defenceman James Miller, left, battles with Merritt Centennials forward Cade GleeckelduringBCHLplayoffactionthispastThursdayattheSOEC.TheVeesandMerritt meet in Game 7 tonight, 7 p.m. at the SOEC.
The first goal is typically vital in Game 7, and the team that scored first has won all six games so far in the series.
“We had two huge chances to get the first one in (Game 6),” said Harbinson. “In Game 5, we gave up a tough first goal and ended up chasing the whole game. It was the first time we scored four goals in a home game and lost since 2013.”
The coach said the Vees have been getting the line matchups they’ve wanted all series.
“We’ve just made some uncharacteristic mistakes and they’ve capitalized at key times,” said Harbinson. “You look at (tonight), I think it’s going to be a three-line type game, but our guys are in shape. They can handle it.”
Harbinson agreed the Vees need to get more from their power play — which has been a woeful 1-for-23 in the series, with their only goal coming on a 5-on-3 in the 5-4 defeat in Game 5.
Merritt only has two power-play goals — both also coming in Game 5.
“Our power play has been really good in past seasons, but we’ve struggled off and on all year with it,” Harbinson said. “We worked on some new wrinkles (on Sunday). I think the team that comes out on the plus side on special teams probably wins this game.”
If somehow the Vees do not win, they will have a full month off before hosting the Western Canada Cup starting April 27 at the SOEC.
Harbinson said he hasn’t given that spectre a lot of thought, but acknowledged “if we don’t win (tonight), we’ve got a big challenge ahead of us. We’d have to get pretty creative on what we could do.”
He said the Vees can’t take the mindset of “relaxing because we know we have another shot” regardless of the outcome of Game 7. For Merritt, it’s much simpler: Lose and they go home for the season.
“I don’t see that attitude in our team at all,” said Harbinson. “Aside from maybe Game 3 in Merritt (a 5-1 loss), we’ve played hard, played pretty well. I know they want to win this thing, and I know everyone really wants a shot at Vernon.”
Harbinson also stressed the Centennials are a good team — much better than their 23-25-8-2 record in the regular season suggests. Merritt finished 30 points behind Penticton and lost six of the seven head-to-head meetings.
“They were missing their best player (forward Tyler Ward) for more than 20 games,” said Harbinson. “They swept a good West Kelowna team that won a championship last season in the first round. We knew this wasn’t going to be easy by any stretch.”
Ward leads the playoffs in both goals (9) and points (16) in 10 games, and the Vees will need to keep him in check tonight.
It’s not the only Game 7 being played in the BCHL tonight as the Powell River Kings visit the Victoria Grizzlies in a one-game showdown for the Island Division title and a date with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the conference final.