After a three day audition for Team Canada West in Okotoks, Garrett Milan, Sean Bonar and Joey LaLeggia are back in the Peach City, and the Vees couldn’t be happier about their attendance in the locker room.
LaLeggia, Bonar and Milan will be back in the line-up on Friday
One day after a humbling 5-4 loss to the Merritt Centennials, one is inclined to feel Milan, LaLeggia, and Bonar seem to be more valuable than they were just days ago. While the results of their tryout for the Western Canadian entry to the World Jr. ‘A’ Challenge isn’t yet, known, the results for the Vees with a short bench are all too apparent.
The Vees have two losses through nine games on the year (7-2-0-0), yet Garrett Milan hasn’t been on the ice for either! Neither has Ben Sexton, for that matter, who compounded the Vees short labour supply last night, as he was sidelined with flu like symptoms.
In fact, the Vees have only played three games this year with what can be considered a ‘full’ compliment of players so far, if you overlook Adam Zamec’s pending return from off-season surgery. Right out of the gate Isaac MacLeod was absent for the first three games up North. Then after a Saturday Night game in PG that featured a near line brawl, the Vees lost 6 man-games to suspension with NCAA committed Szczechura, Sexton and Milan banished for a pair each. Then last night Team Canada West’s ‘evaluation camp’ for the World Jr. A Challenge robbed the Vees from anything resembling a full roster.
Give Merritt credit for a gusty win that saw them erase a 4-2 deficit in the last half of the contest, but the Vees were missing four impact players from their line-up who will all play College Hockey in the next few years.
One final note on this ‘evaluation camp’. Team Canada East also had a try-out style camp to help craft their roster, but it was held before the season started. I for one hope Team Canada West follows suit next year so as to limit the loss of impact players from regular season play. Last year the Vees missed the 3rd seed in the playoffs by losing a tie-breaker. With points at such a premium in the Interior Conference, the loss of a player (nevermind three) for anything short of the WJAC event itself seems a touch unnecessary.
I caught up with Garrett Milan, Sean Bonar and Joey LaLeggia after the team’s workout today…
A pair of Penticton minor hockey products played a big role in Merritt’s 5-4 upset of a short-staffed Penticton Vees club on Tuesday.
19-year-old forward Dustin Johnson scored the goal that tied the game, and 16-year-old net-minder Cole Holowenko made 41 stops on 45 shots - including 21 in the third period - to beat their hometown Vees in Merritt.
Midway through the second period the Vees led the game 4-2, after getting a pair of goals from Alex Szczechura and Joey Holka. Szczechura now has 6 goals in 7 games as a member of the Vees, while Holka’s second of the game and fifth of the season came short handed on a breakaway shot.
The Cents scored three unanswered to win the game with Stephen Wall providing the winner in the third period on top of two assists earlier in the game. Silvan Harper had a goal and and assist and seven other Cents had a single point on the night. The Centennials now have 2 wins in 6 games and climb out of the Interior Conference basement with the win.
Denver Manderson kept his point streak intact as he set up the Vees lone power play goal. The Vees Captain now has a point in each of the club’s nine games played, and 25 points on the season. Isaac MacLoed made a great play from centre to set up the Vees first goal, Beau Bennett had a pair of helpers on the night, and Matt Paltridge added his second assist of the season in a losing cause.
The Vees went 1 for 5 on the power play while killing 3 of 4 penalties taken. Holka’s short-handed goal was the second the Vees have scored this year while down a man.
Joel Rumpel suffered his first BCHL loss (2-1-0) in his third game of his rookie year, while Holowenko earned his first junior hockey win in his fourth appearance in Merritt.
Not playing for the Vees on Tuesday were G - Sean Bonar (‘91 – Princeton), F - Garrett Milan (‘91 – St. Cloud State), and D - Joey LaLeggia (’92 – New Hampshire) as the trio were attending the Team Canada West evaluation camp for the 2009 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge. Also missing Tuesday’s affair for the Vees was Boston Bruins prospect F - Ben Sexton (‘91 – Clarkson) due to illness.
After snapping their four game winning streak on Tuesday, the Vees (7-2-0-0) are next in action on Friday Night as they host the Trail Smoke Eaters. Opening face-off on Friday is at 7:05 while you can catch the pre-game show on EZ Rock at 6:45.
Appologies. Podbean.com was suffering from concussion like symptoms today and I wasn’t able to post this recap until now… BAH!
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With just three lines of forwards and one returning player from the 08/09 season, the Penticton Vees rolled into Merritt last night for their biggest challenge of the pre-season.
Early on the green Vees squad captained by 19-year-old Mitch Lebreche looked competitive, but by the end of the night the age, size, and experience of the Cents proved far superior as the Vees fell 5-1 - their first loss of the 09/10 campaign.
16-year-old forward Stephan Nicholishin had roller coaster of a night as he potted his first BCHL goal, but was seen looking up at the lights after multiple heavy collisions with Merritt defenders. Welcome to Junior Hockey!
Hayden Trupp had a similar evening, showcasing his playmaking skills and scrappy edge until he left the game due to injury. The good news for the Vees is that Hayden won’t miss any time, after getting sandwiched between a pair of Centennials.
18-year-old net-minder Joel Rumpel made several big stops early but had to face nearly 50 shots on the night and was on the hook for 5 goals against.
Joey LaLeggia (’92) and Bo Dolan (’91) looked particularly strong on the blue-line. LaLeggia - who is committed to New Hampshire - had success rushing the puck and seemed to flourish in the extra ice-time. Dolan who suited up in the USHL last season showcased an all around game with physical play, good puck movement, and a fight in defense of a teammate.
In front of the largest crowd I’ve seen in Merritt my thee seasons covering the BCHL, the Cents looked especially strong in the final 40 minutes of play as they dictated the physical tone in the cramped confines of the Nicola Valley Arena. Their is a new swagger to the Cents as fans and players alike seem to be infected with optimism after a regime change fueled by a meager 26 wins in the past two seasons.
How good the Centennials are at this point is tough to gauge, as just a handful of the young Vees charges from last night will likely play for the club this year. Underlying that thought is the fact that the Vees locker-room was surrounded by over a half dozen NCAA scouts following the match, unlike the host’s doorway. That being said, thing are looking better on the ice in Merritt than they have in recent memory.
Though the Vees lost badly, (for the first time this pre-season) Head Coach and GM Fred Harbinson certainly got a good look at the young kids trying to make the team. Monday night represented the most ice-time any of the players have had all pre-season.
Look for personnel changes come Wednesday Night in Penticton as puck drops for the rematch, with the closest thing to an opening night line-up we’ve seen on display.
Dylan Forsythe is in as Head Coach and Assistant GM while Tyler Forsythe will act as GM and Assistant Coach. No word on if either has their Class 2 Drivers License.
I can’t find a photo of the Forsythe brothers so why not a picture from the Forsythe racing team?!
All joking aside, this is great news for the Cents, as the longer the team went without HC & GM, the bigger the resulting mess would be with training camp opening in just five days. It appears disaster has been averted in the short term for the hockey club.
The team has stated a goal of making the playoffs this year, which I believe is quite possible with 7 of the 9 teams in the Interior qualifying for the dance this season.
Brian Wiebe of Radio NL and ‘Making Cents’ (the Merritt Centennials blog) was kind enough to make time for an interview today.
Obviously it’s been a crazy month in Merritt where everything has suddenly been turned upside down. The future of the franchise is once again the buzz of the BCHL.
A long-time fan, and former member of board of directors of the club, Brian shares some perspective on the current issues facing the longest running club in BCHL history.
HC/GM Fred Harbinson and I kick around some news items regarding the team and the league, as training camp starts in exactly a week.
On Johansen
His 08/09 regular season numbers don’t jump at you off the screen, but don’t understate the offensive tools Ryan has. Johansen was 3rd in playoff scoring for the Vees and was worlds better in March than he was in the Fall in his first months of Junior. Crafty. Big. Skilled. He may be on TV one day.
Roger Tepper. Edge Photography. edgephoto@telus.net
I envision Ryan in a top 6 role in Portland this season and an NHL team to announce his name come the NHL Entry Draft in late June. [On a side note the Entry Draft was slated to take place in Phoenix, but could be relocated due to the Coyotes bankruptcy chaos.] Best of luck to the kid!
Ohio State = Dalpe + Schneider + Krogh + Szczechura = Vees
Enough Math.
Here’s big brother Paul
More Mayhem in Merritt
Shawn and Brian have been following Merritt’s off-season with much more detail that I have, but if what Fred says in our interview below, is true, Merritt is entering a world of pain.
The Cents were nearly bought by more stable ownership months ago, before the deal fell through just weeks ago. Now the team may be without a Head Coach & GM, and is most certainly in a precarious financial situation.
You have to feel for the fans, players and people of Merritt as they’ve had a real rough 2+ years with rumours of sales, relocation and management changes. Never mind the 82 loses in the past 2 season. This will be an interesting situation to follow in the next few weeks.
