vees:blog

18:36 - The last time these two teams locked horns here at Royal LePage Place the Vees withstood a late push from the Warriors and swept their way to the BCHL Final. Tonight, the stakes are much, much, much lower.

Aren’t you excited??

Anthony Borelli will get the start in net for the Vees, he has come on strong after a slow start in camp. An ‘89 (19 year-old season), Borelli is the greybeard of the goaltending trio, with Sean Bonar and Andrew Walton both two seasons younger. Borelli played at Salisbury Prep, not to be confused with salisbury steak. Mmmm Steak.

Devon Murtagh will start for the Westside Warriors. He’s a ‘89 from Kelowna, BC (across the bridge). That’s all I know about him.

18:45 - Warm up is now over and most of the 1500 seats are empty. Interesting to see if the crowd will be substantial with it being a long weekend and an exhibition tilt.

18:48 - Oh, Crap! I just heard my license plate number announced over the PA. I left my lights on.

I’ll be back…

FIRST PERIOD

Vees Starting Line-up: Perdicaro, Ouellette, Viselli, Josepher and MacLeod for the Vees. Isaac MacLeod (younger brother of former Vees F Alex MacLoed) is just 16 but he looks 7 ft tall!

Warriors Starters: Watson, Bailey, Kakoske, Plumton and Hutchinson

3:00 - Trupp just ran in to a bigger Warrior and gave him a good jolt. Hayden has been impressive since arriving!

Oh! Viselli nearly beat Murtagh on a partial break. Nice Save. Visselli has been piling up points all pre-season.

Shots are 5-1, but Westside is heading out on the Power Play… Stefanski for Interference.

8:40 - Penalty Killed… no shots for the Warriors.

Not the torrid pace we saw Wednesday Night in Pen Memorial.

15:10 - Still zeros… Vandenberg just rang one off the iron from the slot. Now Borelli makes a nice pair of stops, sliding right to left with traffic in front of him.

16:23 - Murtagh makes another good stop from in close. This time he robs Logan Johnston on the Power Play. I’m told Murtagh played for the Nelson Leafs of the KIJHL last season.

Travis Ouellette had had a few chances early, he’ll be counted upon for offense this season. He leads the team with 5 vowels in his last name.

It has been a tactical and defensive battle early on here, it may take a goal to losen things up.

BZZZZZZZZZZ!!!! Period Over. 10-5 the shots on net, favouring the Vees.

Time for a coffee, I shouldn’t have napped before the game… I hope I’m not boring you as much as I am myself!

SECOND PERIOD

I caught up with Curtis MacKenzie’s dad at the intermission, I filled him in on Curtis’ monster game Wednesday in Penticton. The MacKenzies were kind enough to have the whole team over for a dinner last Spring, when we drove through Golden on our way over to Camrose for the Doyle Cup. Great people.

Great 3 way passing play from MacKenzie to Milan to Vandenberg, he just got robbed and actually placed both hands over his face in disbelief, he can’t buy one tonight. We’re still tied, nil-nil.

4:35 - Murtagh is becoming the story tonight. The Shots are 15-8 for the Vees.

4:53 - Garrett Watson just rocked Vandenberg. Tough night for him!

SCORES!!!!! MacKenzie on a jam in at the side of the net. Vandenberg and Milan draw assists on the goal. 1-0 Vees.

10:00 - NEW GOALIE ALERT!!!! Micheal Tomescu is the new protector of the twine for the Warriors. Murtagh impressed me, a solid performance.

I’m up in the press box here in Royal LePage Place, and was just asked who I thought would be the leadership group for the Vees this year (Captain and Alternate Captains). Tough Question. All of the lettered players from last season are gone (Hextall, Wagner, Guzzo and McMurphy). Not sure what Fred Harbinson and the guys (there’s usually player input too) will decide to do.

Tons of icings this game. Mark Howell (Warriors Head Coach and Director of Player Personal) always seems to play the Vees really tight.

18:00 - Shots are 24-13 for the Vees with less than two minutes to play in the second.

Murray Maxwell (Vees long-time Equipment Manager) will be upset to hear the BC Lions have lost 30-25 to the Montreal Alouettes. Murray is always hunting scores from around the CFL, NHL, WHL, KIJHL and of course the BCHL. The Lions are in trouble in the West, which may be good news as the 4th place team should crossover and play in the East in the Playoffs, likely an easier route to the Grey Cup.

END OF PERIOD. 1-0 Vees. Shots are 24-14 for the defending champs.

THIRD PERIOD

At this point on Wednesday there had been 11 goals scored. Tonight just a single.

The Vees start the period with 1:08 of Power Play time. Both teams are 0/1 at this point.

0:34 - Plumpton just got called for a hit from behind. 5-3 now for a few tics. Not anymore! A couple good blocks and Vees blunders keep the puck away from th

SCORES!!!! Vandenberg from Mackenzie at 2:23, just four seconds after the Power Play ended.

MEMO FROM THE DEPAERTMENT OF OBVIOUS INFORMATION: MacKenzie’s line with Vandenberg and Milan has looked strong!

SCORES!!!! The Warriors are on the board! Speedster Johnny Rogic gets the goal. Assisted by Tyler French and Gavin Currie.

SCORES!!!! Travis Ouellette pokes a loose puck home, 3-1 Vees at 5:14. Assists to Anthony Perdicaor and Ryan Viselli.

FIGHT!!! Logan Johnston and Garrett Watson drop the mitts, but not before Garrett looks at the bench and gets the nod from his coach - talk about discipline!! Watson lands on top, but Logan lands the most punches and handles the challenge of bigger and older (3 years older) opponent nicely!

Colton Jobke (Vees 16-year-old D-man) is in the booth here and tells me that Tomascu (Westside Goalie) grew up near him. Michael Tomescu is from North Delta (also the home of Nathan Westover), while Jobke is a South Delta guy. Tomescu was the last goalie cut from the Major Midget Greater Vancouver Canadians last year. The Starting goalie there last year, you ask?? Why, Sean Bonar, you silly!! Jobke has been in Kelowna Rockets camp since Vees camp ended. He wants to keep his NCAA eligibility alive this year and likely won’t play in Kelowna.

SCORES!!!! Vinny Muchalla snipes short side from the right faceoff circle. Assists to the aforementioned Westy and Brad Reid at 10:15

SCORES!!!! Vees again! Reid from Muchalla, 5-1 Blue. Just 24 seconds after the last tally! This isn’t going terribly well for Tomescu.

SCORES!!!! Warriors get their second of the night. Currie from Regier and Howe. 5-2 Vees. Time of the goal 14:11

SCORES!!!! Vees strike right back! Wow, this has opened up! Ouellette from Viselli and Perdicaro (another productive trio tonight). Just 17 seconds after the Warrior goal.

17:30 - Things are getting physical. The Vees’ Bob Pond just got a penalty for playing without his helmet (it was knoecked off, he wasn’t going MacTavish on his own).

SCORES!!!! MacKenzie!!! Shorthanded with 23.4 seconds to play on a break-away. If you read the last game blog you know how strong my feelings are (!!) for Curtis MacKenzie. It’s only pre-season, but he looks sooo comfy out there!

BZZZZZZZZZ!!!! Game Over. 7-2 Vees.

Pinder’s 3 Stars 1 - Ouellette (Vees F) 2 - MacKenzie (Vees F) 3 - Murtagh (Warriors G)

Next Game: Tomorrow in Pen-Mem. 7:05 puck-drop.