Just three teams remain in the hunt for gold at the world Jr A Challenge in Summerside, PEI.
Beau Bennett scored this morning against Russia
The defending champions from the USA are through to the gold medal game after hopping out to a commanding 4-0 lead on the way to a 6-3 victory over the Russians earlier today.
Beau Bennett had a goal in the third period for the American side.
Sean Bonar stretches to make a stop for Canada West
In an all Canadian match-up this afternoon (3PM PST), East will be pitted against West with a trip to the gold medal game on the line. Canada East has been perfect since the puck dropped in exhibition, while Canada West is rounding into form having outscored their opponents 13-6 in back-to-back wins over Sweden and Belarus.
Joey LaLeggia (4 assists) and Beau Bennett (3 goals, 1 assist) each have 4 points and sit in the top 10 in tournament scoring, while Sean Bonar is tied for the tournament lead with a pair of wins. Bonar has a save percentage of .897 and a goals against average of 2.68.
***UPDATE***
Team Canada West plastered Team Canada East 9-1… Ugly. So it will be the match-up featuring all three Vees in the gold medal game as Beau Bennett and Team USA will face Joey LaLeggia, Sean Bonar and Team Canada West.
VEES vs. LANGLEY
For the third time in two seasons, the Langley Chiefs will see the Penticton Vees without their best players. Last season the Chiefs beat a Vees club that was missing Brodie Reid, Curtis McKenzie and Denver Manderson in in their only meeting of the season, while this season’s home-and-home today and tomorrow will be missing Vees puck stopper Sean Bonar, D-man Joey LaLeggia, and super-rook Beau Bennett. Also, out for the Vees is Bruins draft pick Ben Sexton who suffered an upper body injury in Alberni on October 25th.
The last time the Vees played the Chiefs outside of the WJAC, was back in 2007 when the team got in an accident on the way to the rink, delayed the start of the game and then promptly shellacked the home side in one of their most thorough efforts of that championship season.
A player to watch tonight for the Chiefs is rookie defender Tim Daly. The 18-year-old 17-year-old is one of just five BCHL players on the NHL Watch List (a list of draft eligible prospects that NHL Central Scouting throws together every Fall). Also, Daly has just committed to St. Cloud State of the WCHA (NCAA), where Fred Harbinson served as assistant coach before arriving the Okanagan.
Jake Johnson has been especially productive for the Vees since arriving from the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL. The 20-year-old from Minnesota has 9 points in 8 games with the Vees and will be looking to extend his point streak to 8 games tonight.
Langley has been lurking in the weeds in the Coastal Conference, quietly putting together a tidy winning percentage of .650 with teams like Powell River and Surrey getting all the limelight and attention. The Chiefs have a sparkling 6-2-1-0 record at their new rink - The Langley Events Centre, while the Vees are the BCHL’s best on home ice having gone 8-0-0-1 at the SOEC.
Here’s a sneak-peek at Langley’s barn courtesy of broadcaster/blogger/funny-man Evan Hammond of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
Pre-game broadcast starts at 6:45 with Al Formo and myself on EZ Rock in the South Okanagan and Similkameen, MyEZRock.com, the BCHL.ca Audio Scoreboard, and the BCHL Pay-Per-View.
One third of the way into the 2009/2010 campaign, the Penticton Vees are on pace for their highest output since being renamed the Vees in 2004.
The Vees wait on the bench for another flood at practice
In fact since junior hockey arrived in Penticton in the 1961 no team has never eclipsed 100 points, though through a third of the season the Vees are ahead of that mystical century mark as 17-2-0-1 is a pace for a 105 point season. While that is just a projection, there are reasons to believe that maybe, just maybe, the Vees can continue to roll at their current pace.
For budding historians in the crowd 52 wins is the BCHL record set by the New Westminster Royals in 89-90 and the Vernon Vipers of 98-99. That New-West club also had 108 points, which stands as the BCHL record. The Royals beat Fred Harbinson (the player) and the Calgary Canucks that year in the Doyle Cup… Crazy.
Clearly this club is deep and talented. Clearly they are among the best teams in Junior ‘A’ in Canada. Clearly there are players who will be selected in the NHL Entry Draft this coming June in LA (Beau Bennett, Luke Curadi, Joey LaLeggia, Sean Bonar, and Isaac MacLeod are on scouting radars). The rest is still to be determined.
With the first 20 games in the history books, let’s pour a scotch, light the fireplace, and take a closer look at how the season has gone to this point. (more…)
The Vees have signed USHL forward Jake Johnson (89) to join the club. Jake represents the Vees last import and 20-year-old spot on the roster, as each BCHL team can carry six 20’s and 8 imports.
Where Johnson fits into the Vees picture is yet to be seen. Johnson arrived in Penticton today and skated with the club in their pre-game ice-time.
ANOTHER COLLEGE COMMITMENT
Late cut from training camp F - Steve Iacobellis (93) - who captains the Vancouver Major Midget Giants - has accepted a scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Iacobellis joins fellow 16-year-old Stephan Nicholishin as a future Maverick.
“We are very excited for Steven, he can now focus on playing the game knowing where he will be for the next six years of his career. I look forward to helping develop Steven over the next two seasons”
~ Vees Head Coach and GM Fred Harbinson
The Vees have 8 players committed to NCAA programs on their roster not including Iacobellis who is a safe bet to join this Vees club next season.
VEES VS. COWICHAN VALLEY CAPITALS
- The Cowichan Valley Capitals arrive in the Okanagan today as one of the youngest teams in the BCHL. The Caps are carrying just three 20-year-old, and have 4 players who are 16 or 17 years of age.
- The Caps are averaging a league worst 2.9 goals per game played, and have no players with over 3 goals. The Vees by contrast have seven.
- The Vees have now killed off 11 straight penalties dating back to their loss in Merritt last Tuesday.
- Lost amid his torrid scoring pace is Denver Manderson’s 11 game point streak. The Vees captain has recorded at least a point in each game of the season. Quietly, rookie forward Alex Szczechura has recorded point in each of his last 7 games.
- Adam Zamec will make his season debut tonight for the Vees. The alternate captain has been out recovering from off-season injury, but has been skating with the club for a few weeks now. Zamec will play with Hayden Trupp and Stephan Nicholishin on the 4th line.
- Puck drop is 7:05 from the South Okanagan Events Centre. Catch the broadcast of the game at 6:45 with Chad Campbell (who is pinch hitting for Al Formo) and myself on EZ Rock, at BCHL.ca or at myezrock.com
* Isaac MacLeod has watched all the scrimmages in training camp from the stands as a minor Summer injury has him on the shelf and out of contact for the short term.
I caught up with the 6′5 200 lbs. D-man this morning to discuss his decision to commit to the Boston College Eagles. See below for the interview.
Monday Scrimmage #1 - Team Orange & Team White tie 7-7 (what no shootout??!)
* Game was 2-1 after two periods, ironically the goals piled up while the ice was in it’s worst shape of the day, as the sheet was flooded after the first frame but not the second.
* Three goalies are in camp. Faust and Rumpel are battling to back up Bonar, who finished his rookie season on the upswing.
* Big Luke Curadi had all in attendance talking, and why not. It’s rare a 6′5, 258 pound defender shows up in the BCHL and his mobility seems to surprise. Curadi, who attended Rangers prospect camp, has only played three years as a defender and is looking to improve his positional play before graduating to college hockey.
* Beau Bennett has some nifty moves and is playing with Manderson and Milan. Perhaps an audition for LA kid on the top line??! Beau was playing with a full face mask, and when asked about the ‘cheese grater’ he noted he has never played with a visor (US kid), but will.
* Of the 40 plus players on the ice, none looked out of place in the scrimmage, which is most certainly a pat on the back to the whole scouting staff of the club.
Monday Scrimmage #2 - Team White 7 - Team Orange 6
* A late goal with an empty net brought Team Orange within one, but a final flurry couldn’t tie things up. The evening ice-time was more physical and heated than the morning, with one battle nearly leading to a fight.
* Logan Johnston was on of the players throwing his weight around. That’s 218 pounds if you are curious, up 20 from last year’s camp.
* Garrett Milan had a nice bar down goal and was showing off that stellar speed of his. The fan favorite sure knows how to finish, expect another big year for the 18-year-old who potted 25 goals and 57 points last year as a rook.
* Eric Filliou had the dish of the day on a beautiful backdoor pass that lead to a goal for Team White. Filliou is a 20-year-old forward who is committed to U-Mass and was acquired for Brodie Reid this Summer.
* Age range is 15 years old to 20 years old (’94-’89 birth years) with all 3 goalies born in ‘91.
* I chatted with Derik Johnson following the second scrimmage to see how the veteran was enduring training camp…
* I’ve been getting lots of e-mails regarding the pre-season round robin in Trail and whether or not we will be broadcasting the game. No - Al and I won’t be on the air from the Cominco Arena in Trail, but yes - we will be covering the event on the Vees Blog. We’ll have a live blog going on during Vees games where you can add your two cents or ask questions as I provide updates throughout the action. Here’s an example of ‘Cover It Live’ live blogging in action.
If you have any questions for me, Al Formo, or any other member of the club (players, coaches, trainer, bus driver, doctor, ect.) feel free to pass them along and I’ll do my best to address them during the ‘blog-cast’ (I think I just made up a word). Also, you can hit me with preemptive strikes at VeesVoice(at)gmail(dot)com.
In other ‘55 Vees news Ivan McLelland spoke Sunday night at Vees training camp. Following his speech Ivan was asked by Sean Bonar to sign his goalie mask which depicts the legendary Vees net-minder in action. Ivan says he’ll sign the gear and is honoured Sean thought to ask.
In an off season of USHL defections, the Penticton Vees have won the Beau Bennett Sweepstakes.
Pursued by the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL and the Tri-City Storm of the USHL the coveted forward will make Penticton his home this Fall.
One of the top Midget Players in the States last year Beau racked up 105 points in 75 all purpose games with the Jr. Kings en route to a Pacific Regional Championship and a trip to the National Championships in Pittsburgh.
Bennett lead the Kings in scoring and is listed as a top prospect for the 2010 Entry Draft and will be a focal point for scouts following Junior in Western Canada.
He may hail from the Beach Boy state, but the California kid is more that comfy on ice.
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.
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.
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.
That’s Head Coach and GM Fred Harbinson describing incoming rear-guard Luke Cuardi.
Curadi’s measurements are like stories of Sasquatch sightings, as the details can change depending who is telling the story. Luke’s reported height varies from 6′4 to 6′6, and he tips the scales in the 245 - 260 pound range. No matter what exactly the numbers are, the kid is ‘football big’.
After a season with the Hartford Jr. Wolf Pack of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League, Curadi got a chance to showcase his skill set at the New York Rangers prospects camp at the end of June.
Curadi had a scholarship lined up with U Mass, but has backed off from the decision to explore his options further as he develops in the BCHL.
Curadi is a physical force that likely needs a season or two in Canada’s top Jr. ‘A’ league to work on his craft. Comparisons to Kyle Bigos of the Vernon Vipers - who was drafted by the Oilers after a sound 19-year-old season - make a lot of sense with Curadi being perhaps a touch bigger, and more polished than Bigos when he entered the league. Being selected as an overage player in upcoming drafts wouldn’t be shocking, as players of Luke’s size are rare.
Any questions about the kid’s toughness (not the same as size) can be laid to rest with a few viewings of this piece of YouTube gold.
Not that impressed?? Well, that was an All-Star Game.
