Vees return home tonight

GM/head coach Fred Harbinson chose his words carefully when asked about the surprising ejection of Penticton Vees captain Owen Sillinger in Game 4 of the Interior Division semifinal series in Trail on Wednesday.

Without their heart-and-soul leader for the last 44 minutes of the game, the Vees eventually lost 6-3 to the Trail Smoke Eaters, tying the best-of-seven series at 2-2, with the pivotal Game 5 set for tonight at 7 p.m. at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

“It was a tough call,” said Harbinson. “There was a bit of a wrestling match at the gate to our bench and the referee ruled it to be punch from the bench by (Sillinger), and it’s an automatic game misconduct.

“Owen was standing up on the edge of the bench and he pushed their guy back a bit. You can debate it all you want, but losing our leader and one of our best players … was devastating, especially with all the other guys we’re missing.”

Harbinson praised the Vees for fighting back in the third period to tie the game for the second straight night. In Game 3, the Vees tied the game with 19.5 seconds left before losing early in overtime.

“It seemed like we played catchup the whole two games in there,” said Harbinson. “Their goalie makes some timely saves to keep it 3-3 and then they get a seeingeye shot go in with six minutes left.

“It’s a best-of-three series now so we can’t cry about it. We’d like to have got the sweep or at least be up 3-1, but I still like the spot we’re in. We’ve still got the extra home game. We need our fans to come out, be loud and make (the SOEC) a tough place for them just like it was for us in Trail.”

Harbinson said it’s important the Vees shackle Trail’s star forward Kale Howarth like they did in the first two games. Howarth busted out for a goal and five points in Games 3 and 4.

“Some of their big guys have heated up now,” said Harbinson. “It’s not like they’ve been exploiting matchups, but it will help us being at home and getting the last (line) change.”

Topping the list of positives for the Vees has been the sheer magnificence of defenceman Jonny Tychonick throughout the playoffs, and the performance of young phenom Cole Shepard, who was one of the Vees best forwards in his BCHL playoff debut in Game 4.

Harbinson said Tychonick – the highest rated Junior-A prospect in the country for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft – has raised his game to another level in the playoffs, especially with the injuries to offensive blueliners (and 2017 NHL draft picks) Ryan O’Connell and Nicky Leivermann.

“Jonny has really put it on himself to give us that element from the back end,” said Harbinson. “He’s been terrific and he’ll have to continue to be the rest of the way.”

Tychonick – who willed the Vees back from a 3-1 hole in the third period of Game 4 - has points in all eight playoff games, with three goals and 13 points. He is tied with Haworth and two others for second place in playoff scoring.

Shepard, who only just turned 16, made splendid plays to set up Jared Nash and Chris Klack for gilt-edged scoring chances in Game 4. Shepard, who starred at the Delta Hockey Academy this season, was a second-round pick of the Vancouver Giants in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft.

“He plays with a lot of pace, has great vision and makes plays … we saw it when he played that (regular-season) game against Wenatchee,” said Harbinson, who had Shepard on the ice late as the Vees pushed to get back into the game with six attackers. “Hopefully he can do what (Massimo) Rizzo did for us when he joined us in the playoffs last season. He was easily one of our most effective forwards.”

Game 6 of the series goes Saturday in Trail, with Game 7, if necessary, Monday at 7 p.m. at the SOEC.

Harbinson isn’t surprised this series, or the Vernon-Wenatchee series, will go at least six, and possibly seven games.

“I’ve said all along, this is the best this division has been in my 11 years here,” said Harbinson. “I think the four best teams in the league are in this division. The home teams have won all eight games. It’s going to be an exciting finish to both series.”

Game 5 of the other series goes tonight in Vernon, with Game 6 Saturday in Wenatchee.