New faces in lineup for match against Merritt

Defenceman James Miller and forward Wyatt Sloboshan were acquired on Sunday

With more new players entering the lineup tonight, Penticton Vees GM/head coach Fred Harbinson will happily take the win at the expense of style points. Coming off two stirring home-ice triumphs on the weekend, the Vees will look to keep it rolling as the Merritt Centennials visit the SOEC in a 7 p.m. “Wicked Wednesday” matchup.

“We can’t take a step back … we want to keep creating traction,” said Harbinson. “The execution may be off a bit but we still expect to have four forward lines and six defencemen playing with energy and passion.”

The Vees (24-9-2-2) are in the middle of a captivating four-team race in the top half of the Interior Division. Vernon leads the way with 59 points, Wenatchee and Trail each have 53 and the Vees have 52.

Penticton, however, has four games in hand on Vernon and Trail, and three in hand on Wenatchee. So, opportunity knocks for the six-time defending Interior Division pennant winners starting tonight versus Merritt.

New faces in the lineup tonight for the Vees will be defenceman James Miller and forward Wyatt Sloboshan, who were acquired on Sunday. Miller, who played for the Vees last season, steps right in to replace Nicky Leivermann, who suffered an upperbody injury in Saturday’s 5-2 win over Wenatchee and is expected to be out four weeks.

Also making a welcome return to the lineup tonight is Chris Klack, who has been out with an upper-body injury suffered in a practice. The 20-year-old has played in only 11 of the Vees 37 games.

The Canadian junior hockey trade deadline arrives today at 6 p.m., but the Vees won’t be doing anything else. Penticton has acquired five new players in the last month and will go with the 14 forwards, 7 defencemen and 2 goalies they now have signed.

Leivermann and forward Cassidy Bowes — back practising in a non-contact jersey after missing five games so far with an upper-body injury — figure to return to the lineup well before the playoffs.

Merritt (16-18-2-1) is in sixth place in the Interior, two points up on last-place Salmon Arm with three games in hand.

The Vees and Cents are meeting for the first time since Oct. 20 when Penticton prevailed 4-2 at the SOEC. The Vees also won the two games in Merritt to date – 4-2 on Sept. 8 and 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 13.

The teams meet again Jan. 19 at the SOEC and Feb. 2 in Merritt.

ICE CHIPS: The Vees close out their four-game homestand with a pivotal showdown against Trail Friday at 7 p.m. at the SOEC. Penticton visits the Chilliwack Chiefs on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s BCHL final … The Vees penalty killing remains No. 1 in the BCHL at 88.0 per cent (20 goals al

lowed on 166 chances), while their power play is tied for third with Wenatchee at 21.3 per cent (34-for160).