Game Three Preview: Vees at Brooks Bandits
Photo: Jack Murray
Author: Fraser Rodgers
SERIES
Game 1: Friday, May 2nd, Brooks 2 at Penticton 1
Game 2: Saturday, May 3rd, Brooks 3 at Penticton 0
Game 3: Monday, May 5th, Penticton at Brooks, 7:00 pm MDT
Game 4: Tuesday, May 6th, Penticton at Brooks, 7:00 pm MDT
Game 5: Friday, May 9th, Brooks at Penticton, 7:00 pm PDT*
Game 6: Monday, May 12th, Penticton at Brooks, 7:00 pm MDT*
Game 7: Tuesday, May 13th, Brooks at Penticton, 7:00 pm PDT*
*If necessary
Penticton Vees
President, General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson
2025 Playoffs Record: 10 GP 8-2
Home: 4-2
Away: 4-1
GF: 36
GA: 17
Power Play: (6/33) 18.2%, 8th BCHL
Penalty Kill: (2/23) 91.3%, 1st BCHL
Scoring Leader: Max Heise (3-10-13)
The Penticton Vees face a 2-0 series deficit after losing both games at home over the weekend to open the Interior Conference Final against the Brooks Bandits. Penticton lost 2-1 in Game One and 3-0 in Game Two, as they now look for a win in Game Three Monday to get back into this series.
Penticton has now lost back-to-back games for the first time since February 14th and have been shutout for just the second time all season. The only other game they were shutout in was against West Kelowna all the way back on November 5th.
Simply put, the Vees will need to find ways to generate more offence. Just one goal through six periods and that came from defenceman Callum Stone in the third period of Game One. Give credit to Brooks’ goaltender Zach Zahara and the defence in front of him. With that said, the Vees will need more from their forwards, especially their “go to” guys.
Penticton’s top two centre man, Ryden Evers and Max Heise have been snake bitten of late. Evers hasn’t scored in nine games and Heise has just one goal in his last seven. Both are playing well, creating plays, but if the Vees are going to turn this series around, those two will need to be major offensive factors. With that said, the Vees have juggled their lines in hopes that sparks more offence. Game Three will see four new line combinations.
Despite being down 2-0 in the series, the Vees have played very well defensively. They have only allowed two even strength goals against in two games, as Brooks scored twice on the power play and once into an empty net in Game Two. The Vees held the Bandits to 23 shots in each of the first two games.
The Vees power play is 0-7 in the series and just 1-16 in its last five games. The power play now sits 8th in the playoffs at 18.2 percent. What compounds matters, is Brooks scored twice on a four-minute power play in Game Two which decided the game. When two teams match up so evenly, like these two, special teams can be a deciding factor in the series. The Vees need their power play to rebound and be a factor in Game Three.
Penticton is 4-0 in the playoffs on the road and did pick up a win in Brooks in the regular season. They also had the league’s best regular season road record. The CRA is not an easy place for visiting teams, but the Vees have won here before and have been excellent on the road in the playoffs.
The Vees will continue to dress 12 forwards and seven defencemen for Game Three.
Brooks Bandits
General Manager & Head Coach: Ryan Papaioannou
2024-25 Record: 11 GP, 10-1
Home: 4-1
Away: 6-0
GF: 45
GA: 24
Power Play: (12/42) 28.6%, 4th BCHL
Penalty Kill: (6/48) 87.5%, 2nd BCHL
Scoring Leader: Parker Lalonde (9-6-15)
The Bandits came out with two wins in Penticton to start the series. If you include the regular season, Brooks is the only team to win three games at the SOEC this season. They return home up 2-0 in the series and look to take a stranglehold with a Game Three win.
Brooks’ top players have been as advertised through two games. Their leading scorer, Parker Lalonde, has two goals in the series and has a nine-game point streak carrying into Game Three. His line mates have factored into this series as well, with Nick Peluso picking up two points in Game Two, and Luke Bibby registering an assist.
Bandits’ goaltender Zach Zahara has been nearly unbeatable, as he has stopped 49 of 50 shots through two games. He got a shutout in Game Two and has a 0.50 goals-against average and .980 save percentage in the series.
Brooks has been very good at home in the playoffs, as they have won their last four at Centennial Regional Arena, after losing their opening game of the playoffs to West Kelowna back on April 4th.