Game Preview: GM #26 Vees vs. Sherwood Park Crusaders
Photo: Damon James / Island Images
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Game Time: 7:00pm PST
Location: South Okanagan Events Centre
Radio: Bounce 800 AM
Webcast: Flo Hockey
Season Series
September 21, Penticton 6 at Sherwood Park 3
October 19, Penticton 4 at Sherwood Park 6
December 6, Sherwood Park at Penticton
January 3, Sherwood Park at Penticton
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2024-25 Record: GP 25, 19-6-0-0, 38 pts (1st, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 7-0 win at Powell River, December 1st
Home: 7-1-0-0
Away: 12-5-0-0
GF: 98
GA: 66
Power Play: 21/85 (24.7%, 7th in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 52/67 (77.6%, 12th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Ryden Evers (11-16-27)
Penticton arrives back to the SOEC Friday for a one-game weekend against the Sherwood Park Crusaders. The Vees currently holding top spot in the BCHL standings. The Vees and Crusaders have squared off twice already during the season, with the two teams combining for 19 goals in the two contests and each winning one. It’s “Teddy & Toque Toss” night presented by Bannister Chevrolet Penticton as the Vees look to stretch their win streak to five.
A successful coastal road trip last week saw Penticton pick up three wins over Langley, Nanaimo, and Powell River to open a two-point lead over the Brooks Bandits atop the BCHL standings. The Vees have now played a league-high 17 road games and will have a much lighter travel month in December with just one road game remaining on the monthly calendar.
Ryden Evers continues to lead the team in scoring thanks to a stellar coastal road trip where he put up two goals and five points in three wins. Evers continues to demonstrate his ability to take control of a game and dictate play with his combination of size, speed and skill. He, Luke Posthumus (4-0-4) and Max Heise (2-2-4) did the bulk of the heavy lifting up front for Penticton on the road trip and continue to lead the team offensively
The Vees did make one roster move while out on the road trip, adding veteran defenseman Landen Hilditch (‘05) via trade with the Powell River Kings. Hilditch, the former West Kelowna Warriors captain, is currently sidelined with an injury and is expected to make his Vees debut sometime in February.
Will Ingemann picked up two of Penticton’s three wins last weekend, including a 15-save shutout last Sunday in Powell River. He and goaltending partner Ethan Buenaventura have split starts evenly since Buenaventura’s arrival, and if the rotation continues it will be the latter getting the start at the SOEC Friday night against Sherwood Park.
Sherwood Park Crusaders
Head Coach: Brennan Menard
2024-25: GP 24 15-9-0-0, 30 pts (5th, Interior Conference)
Last Game: 2-1 win vs Brooks, November 29th
Home: 9-3-0-0
Away: 6-6-0-0
GF: 106
GA: 85
Power Play: 27/89 (30.3%, 1st in BCHL)
Penalty Kill: 65/85 (76.5%, 14th in BCHL)
Scoring Leader: Jeremy Loranger (14-24-38)
The high-scoring Sherwood Park Crusaders pull into the SOEC Friday night for the first time and as the highest scoring team in the BCHL. They arrive on the highest of highs after their biggest week of the season that saw them beat the Brooks Bandits not once but twice in addition to hanging a 10-2 thumping on the Cranbrook Bucks.
The Crusaders, at 15-9-0-0 on the season, sit fifth in the Interior Conference entering play Friday. They’re loaded with young talent and boast the league’s best power play, making them dangerous to deal with when they set foot in the offensive zone.
Their power play runs through the league’s leading scorer, Jeremy Loranger, who has nearly half of his total points on the man advantage. They’ve seemingly scored at will this season, averaging over four goals per game, but the aggressive offensive style also leaves them prone to giving up chances as well. They sit in the middle of the pack in the goals against department, leaving the majority of their goaltending up to 20-year-old goaltender James Venne. Venne, from Saskatoon, SK, has made 18 appearances in 24 games this season for Sherwood Park.
A recent Northern Michigan commit, Venne was named the second star of the week in the BCHL last week and was the goaltender of record in both Cru wins over Brooks. He has a .956% save percentage (87 saves on 91 shots) in his last three starts and is expected to be tapped as the starter for Friday’s contest at the SOEC.
Puck drop is set for 7:00pm PST from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton. It is ‘Teddy & Toque Toss’ night at the SOEC and we ask all fans to bring a new or gently used BAGGED stuff toy or warm winter clothing to throw on the ice when the Vees score their first goal of the night. You can follow all the action live on FloHockey or locally on radio beginning at 6:40pm PST thanks to the official broadcast partners of Penticton Vees, Bounce 800AM.