vees:blog

“Hockey or Beer?” that’s the question people around Penticton have be asking themselves with the Okanagan Fest-of-Ale and Games 1 & 2 of the Fred Page Cup sharing centre stage this weekend. 40 of the best Junior ‘A’ hockey players in North America or over 75 of the best beers in North America? That’s a tough decision!

After much debate, I will be climbing the ladder of the Al Formo Broadcast Gondola in Memorial Arena and choosing hockey over beer. Too bad these two very special events didn’t overlap, but hey I’m sure we can find some sort of a compromise (and I don’t mean a drunken radio broadcaster). Maybe a two-event Saturday, a hand held radio, or a seat in the beer drinking section of Memorial Arena is the way to soak up the best of the Okanagan this weekend.

So while I do know a thing or two about beer, why don’t we move to a topic I know even more about: the Penticton Vees. Tonight and tomorrow the Vees will host the Clippers in the opening two game of the Fred Page Cup, in what should looks like a scintillating best-of-seven.

While Round 2 against Vernon was a hard-fought, physical affair, and Round 3 against Westside was fairly one-sided, this Nanaimo series should be a showcase for how entertaining Junior ‘A’ Hockey can be. 14 college commitments (4 to Ivey League Schools), 10 players averaging over a point per game in the playoffs, and two well run, well supported franchises; the BCHL brass has to be happy with the match-up they’ve got this year.

With two teams that both have great talent and depth, it’s hard to find an edge one way or another. Nanaimo’s Power Play has been red-hot, but Alex Evin has been the BCHL’s best goalie this year. The Vees 3rd and 4th lines are more effective, but the Clippers have last year’s BCHL Championship to draw upon. The two Defense corps are close enough to call a push with Nanaimo having hulking Matt Irwin and the Vees having more depth among the 6 rear-guards.

There is a Penticton theme to this year’s Clippers club, with 3 members of the Coast’s best starting the season with the Vees. Local Netminder Evan Smith was beat out by Bryan Mountain for the right to back-up Alex Evin in training camp, Local Forward Dustin Johnson played a hand-full of games as an AP with the Vees before being snapped up by Nanaimo. Johnson, who lit up the KIJHL early this season, has just an assist in the 9 games he’s played in the playoffs. On the back end the Clippers liked what they saw from Michael Boivin when he dressed against them in December with the Vees, He now patrols the blue-line alongside Matt Irwin on the Island. Are they good enough to be on this Vees club? Certainly not all of them are, although they will be motivated to face their former team.

No matter how you size up the BCHL Final, it seems this series won’t be a short one. Game Time is 7:00, Pre-game 6:30 tonight and tomorrow on EZ Rock.