GAME PREVIEW: Vees Look To Get Back In Win Column Against Bucks

PHOTO: Cherie Morgan/Cherie Morgan Photography

The Penticton Vees (6-1-0-0) will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season as they face-off against the Cranbrook Bucks (1-5-0-0) on Thursday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

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2021 REGULAR SEASON VS. CRANBROOK

Saturday, April 3^rd vs. Cranbrook (6-3 Vees) (BOXSCORE)

Friday, April 9^th @ Cranbrook (5-3 Vees) (BOXSCORE)

Monday, April 12^th @ Cranbrook (4-0 Vees) (BOXSCORE)

Thursday, April 15^th @ Cranbrook (7:00 PM)

Sunday, April 18^th vs. Cranbrook (4:00 PM)

Wednesday, April 21^st @ Cranbrook (7:00 PM)

Saturday, April 24^th vs. Cranbrook (6:00 PM)

Friday, April 30^th vs. Cranbrook (7:00 PM)

Monday, May 3^rd @ Cranbrook (7:00 PM)

Sunday, May 9^th vs. Cranbrook (4:00 PM)

The Vees enter Thursday night’s game after falling for the first time on Wednesday night by a 3-2 score to the Trail Smoke Eaters at the SOEC. Liam Malmquist and Ryan McGuire each tallied 3^rd period markers but Penticton could never find the equalizer in the defeat. Kaeden Lane turned aside 24 of the 26 shots thrown his way in his 1^st loss of the season.

Penticton has defeated Cranbrook in each of the first three meetings of the season, including a 4-0 shutout victory in their last matchup on Monday night. Jacob Quillan tallied twice in the game while Tyler Ho and Luc Wilson each notched singles in the victory. Kaeden Lane turned aside each of the 16 shots he faced in his second shutout of the season.

Vees Leading Scorers:

Luc Wilson (6-7-13)

Jacob Quillan (5-4-9)

Liam Malmquist (2-7-9)

Tyler Ho (3-3-6)

Fin Williams (2-4-6)

The season-opening point streak for Vees top scorer Luc Wilson was extended to seven games on Wednesday night with a pair of assists in Penticton’s first loss of the season. The Minnesota State-Mankato commit has collected points in each of team’s seven games on the season, bringing his point total to 13 with 6 goals and 7 helpers. The Duncan, BC product has had four of those seven contests conclude in multi-point efforts and currently sits 3^rd in the BCHL in scoring.

A three-game point streak has Vees defender Grayson Arnott paced as the top scoring defenseman on the team and ranking tied for 7^th among BC Hockey League blue liners in points with his 5. The Toronto, Ontario native has three assists in his last three games and has collected points in five of his last six contests.

Opening the scoring for the Vees in the 3^rd period on a 5-on-3 power play marker, Liam Malmquist saw his point streak extended to six games, tallying a point in every game but one this season. The University of Wisconsin commit has two multi-point games to his credit during that span while leading the Vees in assists with 7 on the year. The Edina, Minnesota native finished 7^th in team scoring as a rookie in the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 16 goals and 39 points in 56 games played.

The Bucks come into Thursday night’s game after their 4-0 loss to the Vees on Monday night and having back-to-back days off. Cranbrook was shut out for the first time all season in the setback on Monday while Nathan Airey pushed aside 22 of the 25 shots he faced in his 4^th loss of the season.

Bucks Leading Scorers:

Zeth Kindrachuk (2-4-6)

Tyson Dyck (3-2-5)

Noah Quinn (1-3-4)

Walker Gelbard (0-4-4)

Quaid Anderson (1-2-3)

Special teams may come down to being the difference in Thursday’s game while the Bucks will be looking for more production from their power play. Cranbrook’s man advantage has been operating at a 6.3% clip on the season and 1-for-16 to begin the season. The Bucks have had better success while down a man, surrendering just 4 goals against in 27 penalty killing attempts. The Vees, on the other hand, are a perfect 20-for-20 on the PK this season and are the only BCHL team to operate at 100% on the penalty kill.

The Vees and Bucks will meet for the fourth of ten times this season on Thursday night from the SOEC. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 PM with the game available on EZ Rock AM 800 beginning with the pre-game show at 6:40 PM as well as BCHLTV.ca and Shaw Spotlight.