Local goalie, high-flying twins named to Penticton Vees roster
Highly touted twin brothers from Ontario, a local goaltending product and some junior hockey journeymen have all been added to the Penticton Vees roster for the 2023-24 campaign.
Sharky Nowek, 16, has been tapped as the club’s third-string goaltender after spending last season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy U18 prep team, during which he compiled a 4-2 record with three shutouts and a 2.33 goals-against average.
The battle for the No. 1 spot is expected to be
between Will Ingemann and Andrew
Ness.
Ness, 19, spent last season with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The six-foot-two, 174-pound netminder went 6-10-2 with one shutout and a 3.12 goals-against average, and also got into three games with Team Canada West at the 2022 World Junior A Challenge.
Ingemann, 18, just finished his senior season at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minn., where he boasted an 18-7-2 record with six shutouts and a 1.38 goals-against average.
Also this past season, the five-foot-11, 175-pound stopper was the first netminder to be named the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper’s metro hockey player of the year and made Team USA’s roster for the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup but didn’t see any action.
Meanwhile, the Vees also added some offensive firepower up front in announcing the commitments of 18-year-old twin brothers Connor and Ryan MacPherson, who have spent the past two seasons lighting up the Greater Ontario Junior
Hockey League with the Leamington
Flyers.
Connor, who plays right wing, led the Flyers in scoring this past season with 28 goals and 63 points in 43 games and was named MVP for the GOJHL’s Western Conference.
Ryan, a centreman, finished the season with 25 goals and 61 points in 49 games.
Both brothers stand six feet tall and weigh about 180 pounds, and helped the Flyers to a playoff championship this past season.
“Penticton has seen some great brother combinations over the years, from the Reillys to most recently the Nadeaus. The MacPherson twins fit that mold and play the game with the passion that is required to win championships,” said Vees coach Fred Harbinson.
The brothers have also caught the attention of professional scouts, with Connor ranked 128th and Ryan ranked 211th among all North American skaters for the upcoming 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Finally, the Vees have added a couple
more veteran junior hockey players to fill out their ranks.
Billy Renfrew, who turns 20 in August, will head south after spending the past three season with his hometown Fairbanks Ice Dogs in the junior A North American Hockey League.
The five-foot-10, 180-pound centreman led the Ice Dogs in scoring last season with 58 points in 48 regular games.
James Fisher, 19, spent this past season with the Youngstown Phantoms of the junior A U.S. Hockey League, where he notched 10 points in 42 games.
The 6-2, 170-pound Massachusetts product was picked 203rd overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
“Obviously when you turn over almost your entire roster it was important to find some players with junior experience,” said Harbinson in a separate release.
“James and Billy bring that experience and understanding of what it takes to be successful at this level.”