Game Preview: Vees vs. Surrey Eagles (Game Three)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00 pm PST
Location: SOEC
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
| Season Series | Fred Page Cup Final |
| Jan. 27, Surrey 1 at Penticton 4 | GM 1: May 17, Penticton 0 at Surrey 6 |
| GM 2: May 18, Penticton 3 at Surrey 1 | |
| GM 3: May 21, Surrey at Penticton, 7:00 pm | |
| GM 4: May 22, Surrey at Penticton, 7:00 pm | |
| GM 5: May 24, Penticton at Surrey, 7:30 pm | |
| GM 6: May 26, Surrey at Penticton, 5:00 pm* | |
| GM 7: May 28, Penticton at Surrey, 7:15 pm* | |
| *If necessary |
Penticton Vees
President, GM & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
Regular Season Record: GP 54 38-10-3-3, 1st Interior Conference
Playoff Record: 13-5
Last Game: 3-1 win at Surrey (May 18)
Home: 7-2
Away: 6-3
GF: 47
GA: 31
Power Play: (5/35) 14.3%
Penalty Kill: (3/28) 82.1%
Scoring Leader: Callum Arnott (7-8-15)
The scene shifts to Penticton and the SOEC for the next two nights, as the Vees host the Eagles tonight in Game Three.
Penticton took home ice advantage away from Surrey with their 3-1 win in Game Two on Saturday. Three of the next four, if necessary, are going to be at the SOEC. Penticton is 7-2 at home in the BCHL Playoffs. Also, with the series shifting to the South Okanagan, no more Olympic ice to deal with.
Saturday was another late game comeback by the Vees. Twice in the last five days they had the flair for the dramatic, dating back to last Tuesday’s Game Seven. In Saturday’s Game Two win, Penticton scored three times in seven minutes in the third period to erase a 1-0 deficit and take Game Two 3-1.
Lucas Sorace scored his first playoff goal in 18 games to tie the game 1-1. James Fisher then won it with two and a half minutes left, as he scored his fourth goal of the postseason. Thomas Pichette put the game away with an empty net goal.
Will Ingemann rebounded nicely in Game Two, after being pulled in Friday’s Game One. On Saturday, Ingemann was excellent as he stopped 24 of 25 shots, including all nine he faced in the third. A few of those coming in the final moments of the game.
Tonight, the Vees look for their first series lead and look to carry Game Two’s performance onto home ice. Penticton did an excellent job of limiting Surrey’s chances in Game Two, as they only surrendered the one power play goal. The Eagles’ one, two punch of Caden Cranston and Aaron Schwartz combined for just the one power play goal. Five-on-five, the Vees have kept those two in check.
Will Ingemann is Game Three’s projected starter, and it doesn’t appear to be any lineup changes from Saturday. The Vees will dress 13 forwards and six defencemen.
Surrey Eagles
GM & Head Coach: Cam Keith
Regular Season Record: GP 54 44-8-0-2, 1st Coastal Conference
Playoff Record: 13-7
Last Game: 3-1 loss vs. Penticton (May 18)
Home: 9-3
Away: 4-4
GF: 68
GA: 45
Power Play: (13/60) 21.7%
Penalty Kill: (13/42) 69.0%
Scoring Leader: Micah Burger (9-12-21)
Surrey is looking to take home ice advantage back and get a road win in Game Three. The Eagles are so far just 4-4 on the road in the BCHL Playoffs.
The Eagles won one of three road games against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Coastal Conference Final. Their goal differential is plus four on the road, compared to a plus 19 at home.
Surrey’s big three of Caden Cranston, Micah Berger, and Aaron Schwartz have three points in two games. Those three are a match up challenge for any time, but the Vees have found a way to limit their chances five-on-five. Surrey’s depth has been on display, as the likes of Evan Brown, Ryan Evenhuis, and Ante Zlomislic each have a pair of points to start the series.
Goaltender Ajeet Gundarah has had an excellent start to this series. The 20-year-old sports a 1.01 goals-against average and .964 save percentage through two games. Gundarah shutout the Vees for the first 112:23 or first five and half periods of the series, before the Vees scored three times in the third period in Game Two.