18:05 - Okay, so I’m not terribly sure how this is going to work, but hopefully the end result is something mildly entertaining and/or informative. I’m sitting in Section G Row A Seat 9 about to embark on my most ballsy blog-related endeavor. For the next 3 or so hours I’ll be posting random musings, stats and hockey related tidbits - not to be confused with Timbits (please advertise on the Blog Tim Hortons… I’ll take contra!!)
Just spoke with Vees Head Coach and freshly appointed Director of Hockey Operations Fred Harbinson. He told me about a couple that always wave to him before each game… religiously. Got us talking about how great the fans are here in Penticton.
Jayson Moonie just dropped by to say hi and encourages all to join the Penticton Vees group on Facebook. Word.
18:26 - The PA Announcer here in Penticton is Roy Brown, he used to be the PA announcer at Taylor Field (Now Mosaic Stadium) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but is secretly a Calgary Stampeders fan. Don’t worry Roy, your secret is safe with me.
The Merritt Centennials have just taken the ice for the warm up… FOLLOWED BY YOUR PENTICTON VEES!!!!! ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ by Sammy Hagar begins playing as the first skate touches the ice. Sounds like a weaker version of Van Halen’s ‘Bad Medicine’ if you ask me. And with that, hockey season has arrived in Penticton.
Sean Bonar will get the start for the Vees between the pipes. Sean is one of the top ‘91 goaltenders in BC and has multiple top end NCAA progams stalking him despite the fact he hasn’t played a single minute in the BCHL (wow).
18:38 - I spoke with local forward and former KIJHL sniper Dustin Johnson before the game. He was traded from Nanaimo in the offseason after being nabbed off the Vees ‘AP’ list last season. Dustin was contemplating playing in Portland of the WHL this year but has decided to pursue his NCAA goals and stay in the BCHL. Johnson is in great spirits and says the Cents will be veerrrrry tough this year… this could be fun tonight!
Warm up is over… the highlight was watching a Vees player get all twisted up in a warm-up drill and crash into Sean Bonar. I don’t think crashing your own net in warm-up is the best way to earn a roster spot!
Speaking of which the Vees are at 30 players and have to have that chopped down to 23 by the start of the season (just 9 days away).
18:49 - I just got asked by some guy if I was looking at porn. uh, weird question to ask… and the answer is ‘NO’! I asked the gentleman (let’s use that term loosely) if he was from Merritt - “Penticton actually”.
I’m going to miss this old barn… as nice as the new SOEC will be I doubt there another rink in North America that can rival the character that Pen Memorial has. My favorite piece of memorabilia is the editorial cartoon in the SW corner of the building.
19:01 - Josepher, Viselli, Paltridge, Ouellette, and Perdicaro start for the Vees.
Merritt just took a penalty :11 seconds in… not a great game-plan!
Garrett Milan just got his first GASP from Vees fans (many more to come) on the power play as he nearly put one home.
SCORES!!!! Just after the PP ended Hayden Trupp (younger brother of Evan) wireds one home from the slot ***UPDATE*** the goal was credited incorrectly as it was Rajan Sidhu with the blast not Hayden Trupp. Assists to Curtis Mackenzie and Brad Reid 1-0 Vees! Time of the goal 2:14. Great pass from C-Mac. I’m expecting a huge season from him, he is a beauty!
SCORES!!!! Perdicaro in the slot! 2-0 good guys… another great feed. Assists to Ryan Viselli and Devon Krogh at 4:55
19:12 - SCORES!!!! 3-0 Vees. Ryan Viselli from Joe LaLeggia and Travis Ouellette. Graeme Gordon the Merritt Goalie just got burnt leaving the crease to play with the puck. 8:15 is the time of the Power Play tally.
Brad Reid just rang one off the iron shorthanded on a 1-on-1. He was acquired from Victoria where he and his younger brother played last season. He is bigger than I remember.
SCORES!!!! Vandenberg just tucked one home. Unassisted. Things are getting ugly for Merritt!
Milan just undressed a defender and got robbed by Gordon (that’s better Graeme).
MacKenzie gets 2 minutes for hitting too hard (boarding is what was announced)! I love this kid!
19:27 - 1:32 remaining in the 1st. It’s all Vees. The shots on net shouldn’t be very close.
19:31 - SCORES!!!! David Andreassen just scored his 3rd pre-season goal in his 4th pre-season period… okay 5th (last night’s 5-4 win for the Vees went into OT). That with :08 seconds remaining… ouch, I smell a Merritt goaltending change. Andreassen got mobbed by Centennials after the goal… no fight though.
PERIOD 1 OVER - shots on net 13-8 for Penticton… I wonder if they counted the goals! ***UPDATE*** they did!
I need a hotdog… It’s 5-0 Vees.
Here’s the Scoring Summery from the 1st
2:14 SIDHU - MacKenzie, Reid 4:55 Perdicaro - Viselli, Krogh 8:15 Viselli - LaLeggia, Ouellette PPG 12:12 Vandenberg (unassisted) 19:52 Andreassen (unassisted)
19:47 - NEW GOALIE ALERT! Merritt will start the 2nd period with Kyle Nielson in net. He’s a ‘90 (18 year old season).
19:55 - Heavy open ice hit by Cam Brodie of the Cents… Merritt play of the night??
SCORES!!!! Vandenberg at 6:11 for his 2nd of the night, Trupp and MacKenzie draw assists! C-Mac just made another GREAT pass! I’m developing a ‘man-crush’!!
6-0 homeside.
20:01 - Nearly a tussle between Andreassen and Paul Forster… 5-on-3 Penticton… Now 5-on-4… Now 4-on-4. I can’t keep up!!
20:06 - SCORES!!!! 11:14 of the 2nd and you can kiss the shutout goodbye for Bonar… he thought he had it frozen… he was wrong! Local boy Dustin Johnson gets the goal, assists to Forster and Herold.
Josepher just ran over a Cent… big hit.
6-1 if you’ve forgotten.
20:13 - SCORES!!!! SHG Andreassen, Again! Unassited. That’s his 4th in the pre-season. He’s on pace to beat Brett Hull’s 115 in a season!! ***UPDATE*** it was actually 105!
SCORES!!!! NOW MILAN at 14:49 assist to Trupp also short-handed!
SCORES!!! Merritt has their 2nd. A PPG scored by Dustin Johnson (his 2nd) assists to Forster and Hobbs. 15: the time of the goal.
It’s 8-2 Vees.
FIGHT!!!! MacKenzie and Jake Baker two ’91s, no check that, two BIG ’91s. MacKenzie hung in early and then rallied with a flurry of lefts to knock down Baker… I’m in love!!!
20:23 - SCORES!!!! Ryan Johansen with a nice dangle makes it 9-2 at 18:16 of the 2nd period. A Power Play Goal. Johansen walked right out of the corner and beat Nielson ‘five-hole’. He’s a 16 year-old with a big frame… lots to like if you are a scout.
END OF THE 2ND PERIOD - 9-2 Vees.
20:35 - Scoring Summery for the 2nd Period 6:11 Vandenberg - Trupp, MacKenzie 14:34 SHG Andreassen (UA) 14:49 SHG Milan - Vandenberg 18:16 PPG Johansen (UA)
Merritt 11:14 Johnson - Forster Herold 16:02 PPG Johnson - Hobbs, Forster
22:40 - THIRD PERIOD
There are 3 ’92s playing for the Vees (16-year-old season). All have been solid Johansen has a goal, Trupp is all over the score sheet, and LaLeggia has been really smart with the puck… he’s the smallest, so he has to be!
20:49 - SCORES!!! Dustin Johnson just got his hattrick goal!! 9-3, the Vees lead Dustin Johnson…er, the Merritt Centennials. Great to see Dustin ripple the net at this level. He was used sparingly in the playoffs by Nanaimo last season, but great things are ahead… he’ll play a ton in Merritt.
SCORES!!!!! Viselli just got another… I have no idea how many that is for him (it’s two, I just checked). Perdicaro and Ouellette get the assists at 9:28, It’s 10-3.
21:09 - FIGHT!!! Josepher and Alessio! FIIIGHt!!! Andreassen and Forster!
We’ll call the first a split decision for Alessio and Andreassen won a wrestling match by landing a few rights at the end.
Less than a minute to play.
MAKE THE FINAL (Vic Rauter shout out!) 10-3 Penticton.
PINDER’S 3 STARS (brought to you by Acadian Mechanical…see John Turner and his staff… oh, right. Not ’til Septemer 5th, you get the point!)
1 - Curtis MacKenzie: Goals, Assists, Fights, Penalties. I bet he can even beat Usain Bolt in a foot race! I’m gushing. 2 - Garrett Milan: I want to nick-name him ‘the torpedo’, a low level rocket! 3 - David Andreassen: Four goals and a tilt (tilly as the kids say) in 2 pre-season matches… a tip of the hat to Coach Fred and Co. for wrangling him out of Camrose.
It’s been fun, we’ll do it again Friday from Westside!
The Vees are 2-0 in the Pre-season. Next Home Game is Saturday as the Warriors visit. 7:05 Puck Drop.
[Send your comments and heckles to veesvoice (at) gmail.com]
