Just spoke with Vees Head Coach and freshly appointed Director of Hockey Operations Fred Harbinson. He told me about a couple that always wave to him before each game… religiously. Got us talking about how great the fans are here in Penticton

Jayson Moonie just dropped by to say hi and encourages all to join the Penticton Vees group on Facebook. Word.

18:26 - The PA Announcer here in Penticton is Roy Brown, he used to be the PA announcer in Taylor Field (Now Mosaic Stadium) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but is secretly a Calgary Stampeders fan. Don’t worry Roy, your secret’s safe with me.

The Merritt Centennials have just taken the ice for the warm… FOLLOWED BY YOUR PENTICTON VEES!!!!! ‘I Can’t Drive 55′ by Sammy Hagar begins playing as the first skate touches the ice.

Sean Bonar will get the start for the Vees between the pipes. Sean is one of the top ‘91 goaltenders in BC and has multiple top end NCAA progams stalking him despite the fact he hasn’t played a single minute in the BCHL (wow).

18:38 - I spoke with local forward and former KIJHL sniper Dustin Johnson before the game. He was traded from Nanaimo in the offseason after being nabbed off the Vees ‘AP’ list last season. Dustin was contemplating playing in Portland of the WHL this year but has decided to pursue his NCAA goals and stay in the BCHL. Johnson is in great spirits and says the Cents will be veerrrrry tough this year… this could be fun tonight!

Warm up is over… the highlight was watching a Vees player get all twisted up in a warm-up drill and crash into Sean Bonar. I don’t think crashing the net in warm-up is the best way to earn a roster spot!

Speaking of which the Vees are at 30 players and have to have that chopped down to 23 by the start of the season (just 9 days away).

18:49 - I just got asked by some guy if I was looking at porn. uh, weird question to ask… and the answer is ‘NO’! I asked the gentleman (let’s use that term loosely) if he was from Merritt - “Penticton actually”.

I’m going to miss this old barn… as nice as the new SOEC will be i doubt there another rink in North America that can rival the character that Pen Memorial has. My favorite piece of memorabilia is the editorial cartoon in the SW corner of the building.

19:01 - Josepher, Viselli, Paltridge, Ouellette, and Perdicaro start for the Vees.

Merritt just took a penalty :11 seconds in… not a great game-plan!

Garrett Milan just got his first GASP (many more to come) on the power play as he nearly put one home.

SCORES!!!! just after the PP ended Hayden Trupp (younger brother of Evan) wireds one home from the slot. assists to Curtis Mackenzie and Brad Reid 1-0 Vees! time of the goal 1:14. Great pass from C-Mac. i’m expecting a huge season from him, he is a beauty!

SCORES!!!! Perdicaro in the slot! 2-0 good guys… another great feed. Assists to Ryan Viselli and Devon Krogh at 4:55

19:12 - SCORES!!!! 3-0 Vees. Ryan Viselli from Joe LaLeggia and Travis Ouellette. Graeme Gordon the Merritt Goalie just got burnt leaving the crease to play with the puck. 8:15 is the time of the Power Play tally.

Brad Reid just rang one off the iron shorthanded on a 1-on-1. He was acquired from Victoria where he and his younger brother played last season. He is bigger than I remember

SCORES!!!! Vandenberg just tucked one home. Unassisted. Things are getting ugly for Merritt!

Milan just undressed a defender and got robbed by Gordon (that’s better Graeme).

MacKenzie just got 2 minutes for hitting too hard (boarding is what was announced)! I love this kid!

19:27 - 1:32 remaining in the 1st. It’s all Vees. The shots on net shouldn’t be very close.

19:31 - SCORES!!!! David Andreassen just scored his 3rd pre-season goal in his 4th pre-season period… okay 5th (last night’s 5-4 win for the Vees went into OT). That with :08 seconds remaing… ouch, I smell a Merritt goaltending change. Andreassen got mobbed by Centennials after the goal… no fight though.

PERIOD 1 OVER - shots on net 13-8 for Penticton… I wonder if they counted the goals!

I need a hotdog… It’s 5-0 Vees.

Here’s the Scoring Summery from the 1st

2:14 Trupp - MacKenzie, Reid 4:55 Perdicaro - Viselli, Krogh 8:15 Viselli - LaLeggia, Ouellette PPG 12:12 Vandenberg (unassisted) 19:52 Andreassen (unassisted)

19:47 - NEW GOALIE ALERT! Merritt will start the 2nd period with Kyle Nielson in net. He’s a ‘90 (18 year old season)

Ohhhhh!! we have an altercation in the stands between 4 heavy set dudes in Global Spectrum maroon dress shirts and a photographer… One of the big guys has a pony tail and a goatee… I’ll put $100 on the ‘Global Gang’. Bob Pond told me security was tight tonight, but this? WOW! Full marks Bobby.

19:55 - Heavy open ice hit by Cam Brodie of the Cents… Merritt play of the night??

SCORES!!!! Vandenberg at 6:11 for his 2nd of the night, Trupp and MacKenzie draw assists! C-Mac just made another GREAT pass! I’m developing a ‘man-crush’!!

6-0 homeside.

20:01 - nearly a tussle between Andreassen and Paul Forster… 5-on-3 Penticton… Now 5-on-4… Now 4-on-4. I can’t keep up!!

20:06 - SCORES!!!! 11:14 of the 2nd and you can kiss the shutout goodbye for Bonar… he thought he had it frozen… he was wrong! Local boy Dustin Johnson gets the goal, assists to Forster and Herold.

Josepher just ran over a Cent… big hit.

6-1 if you’ve forgotten.

20:13 - SCORES!!!! SHG Andreassen, Again! Unassited. That’s his 4th in the pre-season. He’s on pace to beat Brett Hull’s 115 in a season!!

SCORES!!!! NOW MILAN at 14:49 assist to Trupp also short-handed!

SCORES!!! Merritt has their 2nd. A PPG scored by Dustin Johnson (his 2nd) assists to Forster and Hobbs. 15: the time of the goal.

It’s 8-2 Vees.

FIGHT!!!! MacKenzie and Jake Baker two ’91s, no check that two BIG ’91s. MacKenzie hung in early and then rallied with a flurry of lefts to knock down Baker… I’m in love!!!

20:23 - SCORES!!!! Ryan Johansen with a nice dangle makes it 9-2 at 18:16 of the 2nd period. A Power Play Goal. Johansen walked right out of the corner and beat Nielson ‘five-hole’. He’s a 16 year-old with a big frame… lots to like if you are a scout.

END OF THE 2ND PERIOD - 9-2 Vees.

20:35 - Scoring Summery for the 2nd Period 6:11 Vandenberg - Trupp, MacKenzie 14:34 SHG Andreassen (UA) 14:49 SHG Milan - Vandenberg 18:16 PPG Johansen (UA)

Merritt 11:14 Johnson - Forster Herold 16:02 PPG Johnson - Hobbs, Forster

22:40 - THIRD PERIOD

There are 3 ’92s playing for the Vees (16-year-old season). All have been solid Johansen has a goal, Trupp is all over the score sheet, and LaLeggia has been really smart with the puck… he’s the smallest, so he has to be!

20:49 - SCORES!!! Dustin Johnson just got his hattrick goal!! 9-3 The Vees lead Dustin Johnson…er, the Merritt Centennials. Great to see Dustin ripple the net at this level. He was used sparingly in the playoffs by Nanaimo last season, but great things are ahead… he’ll play a ton in Merritt.

More to follow…

“I will be a part-time scout for the Anahiem Ducks and be a minority partner in the Vees so it will allow me to stay in touch with the hockey world, but I have some personal goals to commit more time to moving forward” said Carter today of his duties moving forward.

Local businessman Neil Jamieson (current Vees Governer) will add Managing Partner to his list of duties taking over for Scott.

I caught up with Neil today, to reflect on the legacy Scott Carter has left behind.

After last season’s Fred Page Cup Championship, Scott bows out on top - a fitting place for man who saved (and brought back) the Vees.

Vees Head Coach and VP of Hockey Operations Fred Harbinson fills in the blanks.

Tonight is the rematch with the Centennials visiting Memorial Arena in Penticton.

Puck Drop is 7:05.

I’ll be memorizing numbers and updating the game with blurbs and scoring notes throughout. Be sure to check in if you aren’t at Memorial Arena.

In order of appearance we talk with…

Murray Maxwell, Equipment Manager

David Small, Asistant Coach

Alana Dyrland, Athletic Therapist

Fred Harbinson, Head Coach and VP of Hockey Operation

Tom Hengen, Lower Mainland Scout (father of Michael Hengen)

Forwards

The only scrap of camp thus far featured returning forward Anthony Perdicaro and newcomer Brent Vandenberg (also a forward). Vandenberg played in the OPJHL (Ontario Jr. ‘A’) last season and has designs on making what should be a grittier roster in 08-09.

Goaltenders

The coaching staff has been pleased with all four goalies present in Training Camp. While Bonar and Borelli could be considered favorites to crack the squad, the coaching staff has iterated the competition to make the team is still wide open.

Defence

Matt Paltridge’s play on the back end has been one of the highlights of Vees Camp. Paltridge played in Tecomseh, ON last year at the Jr. ‘B’ level, and has impressed with his mobility and decision making. Also raising eyebrows has been ‘Mr. Versatility’ Eli Grossmann. The Alaskan tough-guy spent the majority of 07-08 up front but has been very sound on the blue-line, earning praise from the Vees brass.

Training Camp’s final scrimmage runs 4-6 this afternoon in Osoyoos.

Zoom in for a better look! (+)

View Larger Map

The 43 players vying for a roster spot are divided into two teams (black and white) who will scrimmage once today, twice Thursday and twice Friday (among other on and off-ice activities) before returning back to Penticton on Saturday and heading into the Mountains for team building on Sunday (bear hunting?!).

The Vees open their four game exhibition schedule Tuesday in Merritt, and open the regular season on September 5th in Westside.

The Vees playing roster must be widdled down from 43 to 23 by the beginning of the regular season.

I wonder if David’s cousin Alexander is composing a new song?????

Also, last years’ Vees will welcome a Doyle Cup enemy to the locker room this season as the Vees have completed another deal with the Camrose Kodiaks. Forward David Andreassen, a Camrose Kid, has been acquired for the rights to two 20-year-old players in Western Hockey League. Andreassen has played in the last two Royal Bank Cup Tournaments with the Kodiaks.

For all the details the Vees Blog found Head Coach and VP of Hockey Operations Fred Harbinson.

We open the blogging season with an interview with Fred Harbinson the Coach of the Fred Page Cup Champions heading into his sophomore season.

Coach talks about the offseason changes, two players lost to Major Junior this offseason (breaking news alert!), and what kind of team we may see come September 5th.

The Saskatchewan powerhouse won their 2nd National Championship in club history with a 1-0 blanking of the Camrose Kodiaks.

An early Power Play Goal from Edward Gale (Cousin of Gary Leaman) stood as the lone tally, and Broncos Goalie Taylor Nelson make a spectacular save in the final moments of the game to earn the shutout and deny the Camrose Kodiaks their 2nd RBC Cup.

RBC Cup Headquarters

Jacques Lemaire and Lou Lamoriello would have liked this game, as both teams played very defensively concious hockey (remember the Doyle Cup?).

Not exactly the style of play one loves to see in a showcase game for Jr. ‘A’ hockey in Canada, but a winning is winning, and as this year has displayed the BCHL seems to rewards a different style of play than the RBC Qualifiers and Tournament.

As for the Vees:Blog, this should do it for the 07-08 year. It’s been fun working on the Blog and I’ve had a great response from Vees Fans and Junior ‘A’ fans from around the world. Hits have come from as far as Japan, Honduras, Germany, Finland, Australia and Russia, as well as the steady flow from across North America.

So while the Vees themselves are now gettting back into their workout regimes, or forging a new direction in life after a hockey career this Summer, I’ll be home in Calgary enjoying time with family and friends.

All the best until Fall. Vees:Blog (v2.0) is coming!

A final word from the BCHL Champions.

“Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Fred”

Bonar was born in 1991 and played for the Greater Vancouver Canadians in the BC Major Midget League.

Stats

Boris Rybalka and his troops showed their experience and were a poised group throughout the series.

For the Vees, it’s a bitter end to a fantastic season of achievement.

Congrats to the Vees on the 1st Fred Page Cup win for Penitcton since 1986 and best of luck to the Kodiaks at the RBC.

As for the Blog, I’ll be posting more interviews as the boys pack up their gear and head home… stay tuned!

Kodiaks’ Day Off

Kodiaks’ Familiar Lead

Coffee With Cam

With the Oilers & Flames (NHL), Oil Kings, Rebels, Tigers & Hitmen (WHL) done for the year, just the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Camrose Kodiaks are left playing hockey in Alberta… That means lots of media coverage!

The Vees and Salmon Kings (ECHL) are left playing hockey in BC. Tonight is the 84th game of the season for the Vees including Pre-Season.

There should be a few scouts in Memorial Arena tonight!

Here’s the BCHL’s piece on ranked players in BC

1 point for each series winner picked. A bonus point for also selecting the number of games in the series.

Example: 1 point for picking Montreal in 4 Games, 2 Points for picking Montreal in 7 Games, No points for picking Boston in 7 Games

Points Total - Name (bonus points)

9 - Pond (3), Smith (2), Perdicaro (2), Evin (3)

8 - Knudsen (2), Pinder (2)

7 - Maxwell (1), Lebreche (1), Muchalla (1), Hengen (1)

6 - Nill (1), Mountain (0), Manderson (1), Dalpe (1), Kroshus (0), Josepher (1), Westover (1), Hextall (0), Guzzo (1)

5 - Johnston (1), Schneider (1), Krogh (0), McMurphy (0), McKenzie (1), Bettauer (0)

4 - Grossmann (0)

3 - Wagner (0)

Coffee with Cam Tait - Blog