vees:blog

More Vees banter courtesy the good folks at the Kettle Valley Station Pub and Cannery Brewing.

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COACH’S CORNER

Join Fred Harbinson, the local media and myself at Coach’s Corner at the Kettle Valley Station Pub tonight from 6 ’til 7. We’ll be yaking about the success the Vees have enjoyed on the ice through their first third of the season, also some clarification on Hayden Trupp’s ‘AP’ status with the club, and how it came to be. Also tonight, a preview of the Langley Chiefs who the Vees will play a home-and-home with this weekend starting in Penticton tomorrow.

A pair of tickets to Friday’s tilt with Langley are on the line for the best question from the audience.

WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE

Beau Bennett and Team USA are through to the WJAC Semi-Finals. A 3-1 win today over Sweden put the Yankees in against the Russians tomorrow for the right to play for the Gold Medal. For the first time in the tournament, Beau Bennett was held off the score sheet for Team USA. Both Goalies were named players of the game.

The winner of the Canada West and Belarus game today will face the host team - Team Canada East - on Friday for the other entry to the Championship match which goes Sunday.

More updates to come on Team Canada West:

* Puck just dropped and Sean Bonar is in the net for Canada West for the third straight game

**It’s 4-2 Canada West in the 2nd period. Cam Reid and Connor Jones have a pair each

*** 5-3 after 40 minutes with Madison Dias getting Canada West’s 5th. Bonar is 13/16, LaLeggia was initially given an assist on the Dias goal but has since had it removed.

**** ‘MAKE THE FINAL’ 7-3 Canada West with Cam Reid notching the hat trick and Joey LaLeggia chipping in with a pair of assists (they ended up giving him that assist on the Dias goal after all). Sean Bonar made 18 saves on 22 shots in the victory. Canada West will play Canada East tomorrow (awkward) with the fans backing the Eastern boys. The two teams have yet to play this tournament.

Join Fred Harbinson and myself Ryan Pinder for our third Coach’s Corner at the KVS Pub at the Ramada on Thursday.

The Vees saw their 4 game winning streak snapped on Tuesday Night in Merritt where a short staffed Vees club was beaten by the Centennials 5-4. The Vees are now (7-2-0-0) leading the Interior Conference in points and second in winning percentage behind the Vernon Vipers.

The Vees face Trail on Friday before heading up to Vernon on Saturday for a massive clash with the currently unbeated Vipers.

We’ll talk about the Vernon/Penticton rivalry, Fred’s take on the Vipers undefeated run to date, and recap the week that was in the BCHL.

‘Coach’s Corner’ is open to the public and media alike.

Free Beer and Pizza for the media.

The best question for the Coach from the audience wins a pair of tickets to Friday’s home game.

Meet at 6:00.

Show starts at 6:15

Food. Drink. Hockey Talk. Life is good!

Here’s how the 2nd Coach’s Corner sounded from the Kettle Valley Station Pub on Thursday Night.

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Weird to be talking about the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on the opening day of the playoffs, but there are some news items regarding the BCHL’s 2-year Island Doormat.

“Systemic Issues”

On Monday Allan Kerr addressed the Media at a Press Conference in Port Alberni following the Bulldogs severing ties with Bryant Perrier.

Nothing too spicy here. Just lots of talk about turning the program around, finding their new Head Coach and GM, and Port Alberni being a hockey hotbed.

Bryant Perrier made this statement following Sunday’s news and Kerr’s Monday media scrum.

Some unusual comments were made Perrier in the statement:

Regarding their dreadful early-season play:

“Circumstances outside my control continually drained on everything from team unity to the way our team played. I was never able to put my stamp on the team in a role of head coach. This included game plans, line-ups, leadership issues, ice time, and the way certain players were used.”

Perrier says he then approached ownership about giving him full control of the club, which they granted. He talks about team improvement:

“…for the first time in 2 years players were finally rewarded for efforts. As a coach, I was finally able to coach and manage the way I wanted to”

He goes on to say:

“It was the way it should have been since day one. Despite some systemic issues I have no bitterness towards anyone…”

In closing he states:

“My deepest regret is that I could not have given the players and fans the same type of environment in the Fall, that we were able to give you from November on, You deserved it”

YIKES!

Whether the ’systemic issues’ have anything to do with the OHA, or not, I don’t know. But I do know that those types of statements made by a former employee of both the OHA and the Bulldogs make for horrendous optics as the OHA is the majority owner of the Bulldogs.

One wonders how a hockey school can run a BCHL franchise while managing conflicts of interest between the two entities.

So while Coach Perrier will wear the goat horns in 08/09 and won’t be back for 09/10, can we say the same thing about the alleged ’systemic issues’?

BCHL Broadcaster of the Year

Congrats to Evan Hammond who was named the first ever ‘BCHL Broadcaster of the Year’

The man they call ‘Hammer’ is as entertaining as they come, and is a huge booster of BCHL hockey on the Island. His blogging, morning show hosting on ‘The Peak’ in Port Alberni, weekly BCHL talk-show, and game broadcasts are a big reason why the Bulldogs are as adored as they are.

Hammer is making news as he applies for the ‘Greatest Job in the World’, Check out his video application and maybe I won’t have to compete against him for this award next season!

Congrats Hammer!

Here’s Fred Harbinson.

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Vees Super-Rook Zac Dalpe on the Clippers and Vees.

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Here’s Veteran Forward Kyle McMurphy on the Fred Page Cup match up.

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Vees Captain Brett Hextall on the BCHL Final.

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Global Spectrum and the Penticton Valley First Vees have announced a partnership involving the team and the South Okanagan Event Centre.

Here is Scott Carter the President and GM of the Vees on the agreement at today’s press conference.

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