Warriors 1st up as Vees look to extend streak
Penticton, West Kelowna meeting for 4th time this season, 3rd in November
The Penticton Vees will be looking to extend a seven-game winning streak and continue their ascent up the Interior Division standings.
The Vees embark on another busy threegame week as they welcome rivals West Kelowna Warriors to the South Okanagan Events Centre in another Wicked Wednesday game tonight at 7 p.m.
Penticton (17-5-1-2) are in third place in the high-powered Interior, five points behind first-place Vernon with four games in hand, and four behind second-place Trail with three games in hand.
Vernon is also in action tonight with a key home game against fourth-place Wenatchee, which is one point behind the Vees.
The Vees and Warriors are meeting for the fourth time this season and third time in November. Penticton leads the season series 2-1.
The Warriors beat the Vees 4-3 on Nov. 3, but the Vees got revenge and then some with an 11-3 stomping of the Warriors Nov. 17 at Royal LePage Place.
The Warriors (16-11-1) are enjoying a strong season though they are coming in off a 4-2 home-ice loss to Vernon on Saturday that halted a modest two-game winning streak.
The Vees hit the road to play the Nanaimo Clippers on Friday and the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the top six teams remain unchanged while the surging Vees continue to hold down an honourable mention in the Canadian Junior Hockey League weekly rankings.
Carleton Place Canadians (Central Canada league) are still No. 1, followed by Thief River Falls Norskies (Superior International league), Okotoks Oilers (Alberta league), Les Cobras de Terrebonne (Quebec league), Powassan Voodoos (Northern Ontario league) and Battlefords North Stars (Saskatchewan league).
Vernon – which now leads the Interior Division and BC Hockey League overall standings – moved from an HM up to No. 18.
Trail had a tough 0-2-0-1 week to fall from No. 13 down to No. 19.
The Vees didn’t move into the top-20 despite winning three straight games to extend their winning streak to seven and their unbeaten streak to eight games.
ICE CHIPS: Tickets for tonight game – as on all Wicked Wednesdays - are just $5 for adults/seniors, while kids ages 18 and under are admitted free as per usual courtesy of Peters Bros. Construction… After this weekend, the Vees have five more games before a 12-day Christmas break. After the break, the Vees play two games in Wenatchee Dec. 2930… The Vees power play and penalty killing are the best in the BCHL, with the PP going 25-for-111 (22.5 per cent), and the PK allowing just 12 goals on 107 chances (88.8 per cent)… The Vees expect to have D Jonny Tychonick back Wednesday after he missed the two weekend home games due to illness. F Chris Klack and F Jackson Keane are still out indefinitely with upper-body injuries … After his shutout versus Chilliwack Saturday, Vees’ Adam Scheel is now the top goalie statistically in the BCHL … Despite having a seven-game point streak stopped against Chilliwack, Vees co-captain Owen Sillinger leads the team in goals (11) and points (28), while tied with Tychonick in assists with 17. Tychonick and Leivermann – both defencemen – are tied for second in points with 22.
CJHL TOP 20
TEAM (LEAGUE) (LAST WEEK) 1. Carleton Place Canadians (CCHL) (1) 2. Thief River Falls Norskies (SIJHL) (2) 3. Okotoks Oilers (AJHL) (3) 4. Les Cobras de Terrebonne (LHJQ) (4) 5. Powassan Voodoos (NOJHL) (5) 6. Battlefords North Stars (SJHL) (6) 7. Ottawa Jr. ‘A’ Senators (CCHL) (8) 8. Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) (9) 9. Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL) 11) 10. South Shore Lumberjacks (MHL) (10) 11. Français de Longueuil (LHJAAAQ) (15) 12. Georgetown Raiders (OJHL) (7) 13. Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL) (NR) 14. Melfort Mustangs (SJHL) (17) 15. Toronto Patriots (OJHL) (12) 16. Steinbach Pistons (MJHL) (18) 17. OCN Blizzard (MJHL) (16) 18. Vernon Vipers (BCHL (HM) 19. Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL) (13) 20. Edmundston Blizzard (MHL) (14) HONOURABLE MENTION: Penticton Vees (BCHL); Whitecourt Wolverines (AJHL); Nipawin Hawks (SJHL); Oakville Blades (OJHL); Wellington Dukes (OJHL).