vees:blog

The World Jr. A Challenge has wrapped up from Summerside, PEI where team USA beat Canada West 2-1 in the gold medal game.

Sean Bonar was named tournament MVP after standing on his head in the gold medal game, making 34 saves on 34 shots. Bonar - who is committed to Princeton - was also named Canada West player of the game for the second time in the tournament.

Coming home to the Okanagan with gold is Beau Bennett, the leading rookie scorer of the BCHL this season. Beau was the only non-USHL player on the American roster and compiled 3 goals and 4 points in 5 games played (not to mention a pair of posts in Sunday’s gold medal game). Having visited Denver and Colorado earlier in the season, Beau seems to have narrowed his decision on an NCAA club down to two.

Joey LaLeggia was his productive self as the tournament contributing 4 assists over 5 games from Canada West’s blue-line. The 17-year-old Burnaby product is committed to New Hampshire, and was the Captain of the Vancouver Major Midget Giants last year.

The trio will return home with medals around their necks (and perhaps bags under their eyes) after a long day of travel from the Maritimes later this afternoon (there is a 4-hour time change). Coach Harbinson has stated he wants to meet with each of them before deciding their status for Wednesday’s game.

It’s shaping up to be fire against fire tonight as the two of the league’s most powerful offenses square off at the SOEC.

Tonight’s match pits the 5th ranked Penticton Vees against the 6th ranked Salmon Arm Silverbacks, in the Vees first game against a nationally ranked team in the country. Both teams have been getting it done with offense, as the Vees have scored 30 goals in six games, while the Silverbacks have 24 goals in five games played.

Sean Bonar Will Attempt to Slow the Silverbacks Snipers

Heading into tonight’s action, the Vees and Silverbacks can lay claim to seven of the league’s top thirteen scorers. F - Denver Manderson (89), F - Beau Bennett (91) and F - Mark Zengerle (89) are 1-2-3 in the scoring race with 16, 14 and 11 points respectively, while F - Travis Statchuk (90) and D - Joey LaLeggia (92) have 9 points each, while F - David Killip (91) has 8 points and F - Garrett Milan (91) has 7.

Mark Zengerle was named the BCHL’s ‘Player of the Week’ on Monday after a monster 9 point weekend in the Caribou, while Vees Captain Denver Manderson was named the P.O.W. after the opening weekend of the season.

On top of the obvious stakes of facing a Conference foe, some Vees will also be looking to impress Salmon Arm GM Rylan Ferster who is part of the Team Canada West brass for the upcoming 2009 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge. Milan, LaLeggia and Bonar were named to the evaluation camp roster set for next week in Okotoks.

The Silverbacks are (3-1-0-1) with both loses coming at the hands of the Vernon Vipers, while the Vees are (5-1-0-0), suffering their lone loss in West Kelowna last weekend.

NATIONAL RANKINGS

This week’s CJHL National Rankings have been released. While the undefeated Vernon Vipers remain entrenched in the top spot (and rightfully so), the Vees have been bumped up to 5th in the country after garnering an honourable mention in the last rankings. The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are up from 7th to 6th after grabbing six points on a Northern road trip this weekend. Interesting to note the Coastal Conference of the BCHL has yet to have a team receive a mention in the rankings.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Last year’s highest scoring player from the Interior Conference, Mark Zengerle, helped the Silverbacks beat the Spruce Kings, Mills and T-Wolves this weekend as he recorded 4 goals and 5 assists this weekend. Zengerle has been named the BCHL Player of the Week by the BCHL. The 20-year-old sniper is off to Wisconsin to play for the Badgers next season, and looks like well on his way to matching his 93 points of yester-season. Zengerle played prep school hockey at Northwood School in Lake Placid, the same program that groomed former Vees Brett Hextall (UND) and Cory Schneider (Ohio State).

OTHER BCHL NOTES

The Vernon Vipers are the only team in the league that hasn’t been beaten yet at (4-0-0-0)… The Burnaby Express are still perfect in regulation (2-0-0-1)… The Trail Smoke Eaters are the lone team in the 17 team circuit without a win (0-3-0-0)… The Penticton Vees are the highest scoring club averaging 5 goals a game… The Vernon Vipers and Langley Chiefs are the toughest to score goals against, as both clubs have allowed just 7 goals in 4 games played (1.8 G/GP)… The Spruce Kings have allowed the most goals (5.6 GA/GP)… While the Smoke Eaters have struggled mightily in lighting the lamp (1.3GF/G)… The Quesnel Millionaires, Merritt Centennials and Williams Lake Timberwolves have only played home games to this point… Every player in the top 10 in league scoring plays in the Interior Conference (3 Vees, 3 Warriors, 3 Silverbacks, 1 Viper)… Vees have the top ranked PP (39%)… Alberni Valley Bulldogs have the worst PP (1/25, 4%)… The Merritt Centennials have the top PK (92%)… The Trail Smoke Eater have the weakest (50%)…

The BCHL has announced Denver Manderson is the player of the week to open the 2009/2010 season.

Hard to argue! The 20-year-old forward has been an offensive catalyst for the Vees upfront cataloging 4 goals and 6 assist in just 3 games. Also the power play - which is a nice and round 10/20 on the season - runs through ‘Mandy’ on the left wall and has been quite impressive.

I caught up Vees HC/GM Fred Harbinson and the Furgus, ON product after Vees practice on Tuesday.

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PRACKY

No games today. Still 30 guys in town. Today’s lone ice-time was a practice. Trail tomorrow.

UNDER THE RADAR?

Perhaps lost in the midst of the strong recruiting Fred Harbinson has done this summer, is the acquisition of 20-year-old Eric Filiou.

The Quebec born centreman has played the past two seasons in Junior A hockey and is looking to bounce back after a rough 08/09 season with the Nanaimo Clippers.

Committed to U-Mass for the 10/11 season, Filiou has one final year of Junior hockey to prepare for a collegiate career.

I caught up with Eric after this morning’s team workout (click below for full interview).

VEES BRANTFORD ROOTS

The Brantford Golden Eagles are already missing Alex Szczechura, and why not? When you record 33 goals and 25 assists in 23 playoff games (WOW!), enroute to a provincial championship, folks get a little misty eyed when you leave town.

Szczechura is not unlike another former Golden Eagle and Vees winger, who he may skate with next season at Ohio State.

WHISTLER’S BEST?

A mecca of alpine sports, Whistler, British Columbia, isn’t known for it’s hockey products. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a Whistler minor hockey story as compelling or successful as that of Garrett Milan’s. The diminutive forward is coming off BCHL Interior Conference Rookie of the Year honours, and is still the talk of the rinks in this winter’s Olympic city.

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Lots going on in the BCHL, here’s a look at the latest…

* Surrey Eagles 20-goal man Spencer Bennett has elected to play for the Portland Winter Hawks this season after being drafted by Calgary in the 5th round.

Spencer ducks out on a commitment to the University of Alaska Anchorage with the decision. No word if any Sutters influenced his choice.

* The Prince George Spruce Kings have brought back former Penticton Bronco Ed Dempsey for two more years at the helm. He’s responded by making some roster tweaks including bringing in Pentictonite and former Vees net-minder Evan Smith. Some nice TV coverage here on Ron Gallo’s Blog.

* The Merritt Centennials have rounded out their coaching staff with assistants Luke Pierce and Richard Molenaar.

The new assistants join Head Coach and GM Joey Bouchard (above) in the quest to snap their two year run without playoff action.

* The Trail Smoke Eaters have settled on a goal-tending tandem that backed up Kevin Jebson in Westside last season. Garrett Beckwith and Devon Murtagh have re-united in the Kootenays to stop pucks, but the question remains who will back up Jebson be the starter. The Smokies have also added Darnell Dyck up front in exchange for 20-year-old goalie Paul Barclay who was shipped to Surrey. My homeboy ‘Mullsy’ is all over it at the Smokies Blog.

* The Vees will play an extensive seven game pre-season schedule (five of which are on the road). Starting with a three game round robin in Trail with the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits, the Coastal Conference defending champs from Powell River, and of course the host Smokies. Last season a similar pre-season event was played in Dawson Creek, BC with the Grande Prairie Storm (AJHL) Prince George Spruce Kings and the Burnaby Express taking part.

* After Brad Fox scampered out of town the reincarnated Timberwolves have announced their 2nd head coach as Dave Dupas formally of the Okanagan Major Midget Rockets.

Dupas has a two-year deal and an owner/president in John Wright who wants to be a playoff team come March. That could pose a problem.

* Vernon Vipers D-Man Kyle Bigos was at Oilers Prospect Camp after being drafted in the 4th round. Bigos is interviewed here, and pumps the tires of the RBC Cup as best he can.

Bigos was as improved as any player in the BCHL last season and was named the MVP and Top D-man at the RBC (he is shown above teasing his bleached-blonde Mohawk). Bigos is off to Merrimack this season and will leave a big hole on the Vernon blueline that will also lose Cam Brodie, Cody Ikkala and Mike Leidl due to their ‘88 birth years.

* Staying with the national champs, Pentictonite Sahir Gill is off to the Chicago Steel USHL, which has left some cranky at the Northern tip of the Okanagan. Like mysterious ‘vipersdiehardfan’ blogger who clearly has (her/his) (panties/briefs) in a knot about the move.

Head Coach Mark Ferner was also less than enthusiastic about Gill’s goodbye when speaking with the Vernon Morning Star:

“I feel like we treat our players pretty good here. Here’s a young player, 16-years-old, playing on the top line, the top powerplay unit, and he goes and makes a lateral move to another league… He had offers from big (NCAA) schools and he had NHL teams looking at him. There will be lots of teams who will question Sahir for making this decision.”

To me it’s not a lateral move at all. Yes, the BCHL and USHL are both NCAA eligible junior leagues, but c’mon the USHL had seven players drafted at the June NHL Entry Draft BEFORE Kyle Bigos was the first BCHLer nabbed, and the USHL grossed seventeen players picked as compared to five players selected from the BCHL. Add the US Developmental Program to a concentrated 13 team league this year, over 180 commitments to college programs and it’s obvious the level of play in the USHL is simply higher.

Sahir wanted to play at a higher level. End of story. This isn’t about getting a commitment (he already has his pick of schools), this is about development and a bigger challenge for the talented ‘92 forward - who was far and away the top 16 year old in the BCHL last season.

The NCAA National Championship Tournament was announced today (selection Sunday hockey style).

3 Vees from last year’s Fred Page Cup Champions will be active in the tournament of the top 16 teams in the States.

Zac Dalpe and Cory Schneider will see tournament play in their rookie seasons as the Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked #4 (of 4) in the Northeast Bracket. Schneider has to overcome a mid-season injury and fight his way back into the line-up (2 points in 16 games) while Dalpe was 5th in team scoring with 13 goals and 12 assists in 36 games. Former Vernon Viper Hunter Bishop has 29 points in 41 games for the Buckeyes.

Last year’s captain Brett Hextall and former Vees teammate of 2006/2007 Evan Trupp have got the Fighting Sioux of North Dakota a #2 seed and also happen to play in the Northeast bracket.

Brad Thiessen has been backstopped the Northeastern Huskies to a tournament bid, and looks like a strong candidate for the Hobey Baker. Thiessen was named the Hockey East Player of the Year and has his own site lobbying for more hardware. The Huskies are a 2nd seed in the Midwest Bracket.

Other Notables:

Pentictonite and former Panther Brian Lebler’s Michigan squad will be at the big dance too, the Wolverines have the top spot in the East Bracket.

Euro Justin Krueger - a former Vees D-man - is in with Cornell. The Big Red are #3 in the Midwest Bracket.

DJ’s GINO

Derik Johnson has a great sense of timing. The 18-year-old defender picked up on December 1st from the USHL, has been stellar in a shut-down role with partner Matt Paltridge, but hadn’t scored a goal heading into Wednesday’s elimination game against PG. Guess who had Vees fans out of their seats just 15 seconds in? Yep, you guessed it! DJ’s 1st set the tone early.

Glenn Hauptman, Flush Photo. No Copies or Reproductions Without Permission. FlushPhoto@Gmail.com

RJ’s BINGOS

Ryan Johansen is blossoming into a dominant force in the BCHL. The rookie 16-year-old potted 2 bingos and earned 1st Star last night’s Game 5 win over PG. After 5 goals and 17 points in 47 regular season games, the Port Moody product has recorded 3 goals and 3 assists through 5 playoff games.

Glenn Hauptman, Flush Photo. No Copies or Reproductions Without Permission. FlushPhoto@Gmail.com

HEXY R.O.W.

Brett Hextall continues to impress for the 6th ranked North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Last year’s captain of the 2008 Fred Page Cup Champions notched 3 goals and an assist this past weekend to earn WCHA Rookie of the week honours. Hextall (Brett is the son of legendary NHL goaltender Ron) sits 6th in team scoring with 12 goals and 11 assists in 35 games.

Atta boy Bretter!

Here’s Ryan Johansen, Derik Johnson, and Fred Harbinson prior to Thursday’s Practice…

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BCHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kevin Jebson has been named the BCHL Player of the Week from the opening weekend of the 1st Round. Despite Jebson holding less impressive numbers than Jordan White, the powers that be in the BCHL’s Burnaby head-quarters have elected to give the 19-year-old the nod as both games with Trail were more hotly contested than the Vees and Spruce Kings opening pair.

HEXTALL’S BIG WEEKEND

Brett Hextall has 3 goals and an assist this weekend as the North Dakota Fighting Sioux tied and beat Colorado College in WCHA play this weekend.

The Freshman Forward - who captained the Vees to a Championship last season - now has 12 goals, 11 assists and 23 points in 35 games.

GAME 3 SWEEPS??

The Cowichan Valley Capitals, Westside Warriors and Penticton Vees will all be eying sweeps on the road tonight. The lone series tied at a game apiece is between the Langley Cheifs and Surrey Eagles, which resumes on the international sized ice at the South Surrey Arena tonight.

Curtis McKenzie is a beast.

C-Mac has played 12 games as the Captain since Denver Manderson’s season ending injury and has racked up 12 goals, 5 assists, and 17 points.

He’s taken the ‘C’ to heart, and continues to improve with each passing game.

Hard to convince people he scored just 3 goals last season!

Miami of Ohio loves him!