Vees visit Wenatchee tonight
Second place in the powerful Interior Division is on the line as the Penticton Vees visit the Wenatchee Wild, returning from the holiday break for a pair of games tonight and Saturday at the Town Toyota Center.
The resurgent Wild (23-9-2-1) jumped one point ahead of the Vees (22-7-2-2) after Penticton managed just one point in the final weekend before the break. The Vees do, however, retain two games in hand.
“It’s one of the toughest buildings in the league and we’re going up against one of the fastest teams in the league,” said Vees president, GM and head coach Fred Harbinson. “It’s the start of a very important stretch of games in a short period of time for us.”
Wenatchee, currently 5-1-1 in December, is the only Interior team the Vees have not beaten this season.
The teams met for a home-and-home set in late October, with the Wild winning 4-2 at home and prevailing 4-3 in a double-overtime thriller four days later in Penticton.
After this weekend, the teams will meet twice more — Jan. 6 and Feb. 24 at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Both teams are also trying to track down the Vernon Vipers for first place. Vernon (25-7-1-4) leads the Wild by six points, but Wenatchee has two games in hand and the Vees have four games in hand on Vernon. The Vipers play a home-and-home against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks tonight and Saturday.
The Vees’ lineup will have a new look tonight.
Forward Marcus Mitchell — acquired this week from the Silverbacks for defenceman Joe Leahy — makes his debut wearing jersey No. 25.
Star defenceman Jonny Tychonick returns tonight after missing six games while helping Canada West win the gold medal at the World Junior A Challenge.
Defenceman Michael Campoli, who de-committed from Boston College, will be joining the Vees after the weekend games early next week.
The Vees have a long list of injuries, especially up front.
Grant Cruikshank (spiral fracture in ankle) is out for the remainder of the season, Chris Klack (upper-body) is out 2-3 more weeks and Cassidy Bowes (upper-body) will be out 5-6 more weeks.
Defenceman Ryan O’Connell (broken arm) is ruled out for another 4-5 weeks.
The Vees will have their hands full with a high-powered Wenatchee lineup that is led by Jasper Weatherby (3rd in BCHL with 48 points) and Lucas Sowder (8th in BCHL with 39 points in just 28 games).
Wenatchee has six players with 10 or more goals and six with 30 or more points.
Coming off a 10-2 thumping of Salmon Arm in the last game before the break, Wenatchee leads the BCHL with 147 goals while allowing 90. The Vees have scored 117 while allowing a league-low 71 goals.
After this weekend, the Vees will enjoy a fourgame homestand that starts Jan. 5 with a game against the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Wenatchee, Merritt and Trail also visit the SOEC during the homestand. Penticton plays 11 games in 24 days in January.