The Vees took advantage of an undisciplined Langley squad in the first period going 3 for 4 on the man advantage, outshooting the Chiefs 26-6 as they went to the locker room up 4-0. While the game wasn’t over after 20 minutes, it certainly appeared out of reach for an overmatched Langley team that struggled to create scoring chances against a quicker and more skilled Vees club.

Garrett Milan potted a pair of goals and was named the first star of the game. While Denver Manderson chipped in with 3 points and Jake Johnson added a pair of goals as both Vees stretched their league leading point streaks to 8 games.

Other Vees with multi-point nights included Bo Dolan and Alex Szczechura. Joey Holka potted his 11th of the year and Byron Sorensen and Eric Filiou had lone assists in the Vees 18th victory of the season.

The Langley Chiefs got goals from defenders Matt Cronin and Ryan Bakken, while Vees net-minder Joel Rumpel set aside the other 22 of 24 directed his way. Andrew Walsh was lit up for seven goals on 45 shots before getting the hook in the third period to make way for Wyatt Waselenchuk who stopped all five shots he saw.

The Vees killed both Langley power plays, while going 5 of 11 on the night with the man-advantage. The Vees have killed 49 of 51 penalties since the end of September.

Tomorrow the Vees will make their first visit to the Langley Events Centre with the opening faceoff set for 7PM. You can catch the pre-game show at 6:45 on EZ Rock, BCHL Pay-Per-View, MyEZRock.com, and at the BCHL.ca Audio Scoreboard.

Friday was also a victorious day for the Vees participating at the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Beau Bennett scored his third goal of the tournament in a 6-3 Team USA win over Russia, while Joey LaLeggia and Sean Bonar were part of a 9-1 Canada West beat down of Team Canada East in front of their own fans.

The World Junior A Challenge gold medal game is Sunday at 1PM (PST) and can be seen on TSN2.

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.

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.

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.

1.) The Schedule

Through 20 games the Vees have played perhaps their toughest third of hockey in terms of scheduling.

Penticton has played four games with Interior contenders Salmon Arm and Westside and a pair with the mighty Vernon Vipers (who really are putting a damper on the great start the blue, black and white have had).

Also not to be forgotten, is the fact that the Vees have gotten through their longest road-trip of the year unscathed and have already made one of their two trips to the Caribou. Just two trips of three days remain as overnight journeys for the Vees – North to the Caribou in late January ***long underwear alert*** and up the sunshine coast to Powell River (they’ll also play Burnaby on the way home) in two weeks time ***dreadlock & bongo alert***.

Vees vs. Interior top tier (VRN, WS, SA) – 4-1-0-1

Vees vs. Coastal Conference – 6-0-0-0

Also the club has played more on the road than they have at home, meaning they’ve got more home games remaining (the Vees are the league’s only team who haven’t lost in regulation at home).

Vees on the road – 9-2-0-0

Vees at the SOEC – 8-0-0-1

2.) Special Teams

The power play started the season with a bang going 50% in the Vees opening weekend in the Caribou (10/20), while the PK was meager in comparison going 71% (15/21) that same trip.

Since that first week the Vees special teams have both slid toward the norms as the PP now sits at 25% (2nd in the BCHL), while the PK is up to a respectable 83% (8th).

The power play has oodles of skill but has skidded recently on their recent 6-day trip to the island, and last weekend with personnel changes due to the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge (not to mention Ben Sexton’s injury). The PP is 3/28 (11%) since hopping on BC Ferries to head to the Island, which has slowed a tremendous start to the season on the man advantage.

The penalty kill had a phenomenal month of October, allowing just two power-play markers (one on a 5-on-3 that lasted 4:40 in Alberni) in 50 opportunities for a staggering 96% kill rate. That’s insane. The Khmer Rouge never killed with such efficiency.

While 96% can’t last, enjoy the ride while the PK is hot.

3.) Man Games Lost To…

The Vees have had a few injuries and a particular international tournament that have messed with the line-up through the first third of the season. With just two more games affected by the World Junior A Challenge, the Vees are nearly out of the woods.

W.J.A.C.

The Junior A showcase event isn’t just a two weeks missed for competitors. The Team Canada West squad also missed a mid-week game in early October late September for the Canada West evaluation camp in Okotoks, Alberta.

Garrett Milan – 1 game (just the evaluation camp)

Beau Bennett – 2 games (plus 2 more to be missed this weekend)

TOTAL 9 games (plus 6 more to be lost this weekend)

Injuries

Missing the most time to injury thus far this year is 20-year-old and alternate captain Adam Zamec. Also missing time with injury was Isaac MacLeod (he missed all pre-season play and the first 3 of the BCHL season) and currently out is Ben Sexton. Not included in the list is Derik Johnson who sat out against Alberni Valley with bumps and bruises that wouldn’t have held him out if it was playoff time (or perhaps if it wasn’t the 4th road game in 5 days, and third in 48 hours).

Adam Zamec – 11 games (lower)

Ben Sexton – 3 games (flu, upper)

TOTAL 17 games

Suspension

Remember that line brawl in PG? Yeah, me too! That was swell.

Garrett Milan – 2 games

Ben Sexton – 2 games

TOTAL 6 games

WJAC + INJURIES + SUSPENSION = 32 games (38 including 6 more this weekend for the WJAC)

That’s a lot of hockey missed by the top end talent of the Vees. They’ve been quite resilient, and have shown their depth in this first third of the season.

4.) Transactions

Fred Harbinson has had his quietest Fall in his three years in terms of transactions. Keeping in mind Mitch Lebreche, Jimmy Geerin, and Erik Slemp were moved in the pre-season (among some other moves with training camp castoffs), just two deletions have been made in the regular season.

Mitch Jones never seemed to fit in with the Vees (be it on the ice or in the locker-room) and was moved for future considerations to Nanaimo. Jones is in Merritt now where he’s playing a bigger role with the enigmatic Cents. Also, Fred kicked the tires on J.C. Lirette – a 20-year-old cut from the QMJHL – before deciding to move him for future considerations after an inkling J.C. wanted to be closer to his home of Quebec City.

Along the way Fred has added some solid parts to a very talented core. Up front Jake Johnson provides depth and another veteran who steady as a rock. Undersized and unwanted in the USHL this year, Johnson has 9 points in 8 games as a member of the Vees and is riding seven game point streak. Last week hulking 17-year-old Taylor Peters was assigned to the Vees from Portland (WHL). Taylor was having a tough time cracking the Winterhawks roster (he had played just 3 times) after playing a full season as a 16-year-old last year. Taylor adds a responsible and physical game to the mix for the Vees, his understanding of systems is superb for his age, and he’s shown he can produce points too, with four points against his opening weekend with his new squad.

Also of note, the Vees swapped James Bettauer’s rights to Quesnel for future considerations as the 18-year-old who played with the Vees in 07/08 hasn’t stuck in the WHL after one rough year in Chilliwack (Bettauer’s rights have since been moved to Burnaby).

5.) Affiliated Players

Brandon Bruce played a single game with the Vees on September 29th, with the club in desperate need of players to fill jerseys (with 4 players missing for a mid-week tilt in Merritt). The 16-year-old never found his feet on that eerie night in the Nicola Valley Arena, but may get another peek if the team runs into a shortage of forwards. The speedster currently toils for the Okanagan Rockets (Major Midget).

L.A. goal-tending product Billy Faust looked sharp when he was tested in last Friday’s 4-1 win over Merritt. Faust was a late cut from camp who projects to be a member of the Vees this time next season. Faust was three and a half minutes away from recording a shutout in his BCHL debut, and will be with the club this weekend before heading back to Nelson (KIJHL, Jr. ‘B’) where he has played quite well for the Leafs.

Hayden Trupp finds his name under the ‘affiliated player’ heading now, after the team ran into some import issues and some ‘less than sound’ advise from BC Hockey. Trupp will skate with the Vees this weekend, then report to the Lakers of the KIJHL (Jr. ‘B’) where he will have a lot more ice time and a bigger role. The slight 17-year-old can be recalled up to 10 times this season by the Vees, and can join the club full-time should the Lakers season end before the Vees.

Also of note, Vancouver Major Midget Giants captain Steve Iacobellis (who is penciled in as a member of the 10/11 Vees) received a scholarship to the University of Nebraska at Omaha for 2012. UNO will be keeping tabs on future Vees teammates Iacobellis and Stephan Nicholishen in the next few years, as both will be Mavericks in their NCAA careers.

6.) Final Remarks

With the Vees sitting in the top two in the BCHL in nearly every major category (Wins, Winning %, Points, Goals For, Goals Against, Power Play, NCAA Commitments, Home Record, Road Record) the table has been set for what could be a record setting season in the South Okanagan. Unfortunately for the Vees, the Vernon Vipers have been every bit as dominant in their opening 19 games, having lost just once (at the hands of the Vees).

As the CJHL National Rankings (those omniscient sages) suggested in early October, the Vees and the Vipers may very well be the top two teams in the nation. That the two clubs play in the same division, means as hockey fans we’ve got some drama ahead.

Oh, and December 9th on the road, and December 12th at the SOEC.

You were just going to ask when the Vees play the Vipers next, right?

Action from Team USA’s 6-1 win yesterday over Belarus

Team Canada West faces Belarus at 3:00PM tomorrow (that’s 7:00PM AST in Summerside, PEI… if you’re in the neighbourhood) in a rematch of an exhibition contest that Canada West won in a shootout 3-2 after Kellen Jones tied the game with a second remaining.

At 10AM (2PM AST) defending gold medal winners - USA - face the win-less Swedes who have had some issues keeping pucks out of their net, having allowed 9 goals on 61 shots through two games at the WJAC.

Beau Bennett had another goal in the USA 6-1 win over the Belorussians yesterday. Beau now has 2g-1a-3pts in 2 games with the American squad which puts him just a point back of the tournament leaders.

Canada East and Russia await the winners of the quarterfinals and won’t play until Friday. Canada East faces the winner of Canada West / Belarus, while the Russians face the winner of Sweden / USA.

With BC Hockey reversing their decision, and deeming Trupp an import, the Vees were forced to make a move with their roster already sitting at the league maximum of 8 imports. Trupp will play for the Vees this weekend, after which he will be allowed 10 games for the big club in the remainder of the regular season. Once the Lakers season has ended Trupp would be free to play with the Vees with no restriction. The Vees now have an open roster spot.

The 17-year-old forward has no shortage of skill but has been physically outmatched in his rookie season. Trupp has recorded a goal and an assist in 16 BCHL games after playing Midget hockey in Alaska last season.

Hayden was born in Penticton in 1992, his father and older brother both played their Junior hockey in Penticton.

I spoke with Vees HC/GM Fred Harbinson after Tuesday’s Practice…

Boston Pizza is welcoming everybody over tonight for a great night of hockey starting at 7PM.

The full team will be in attendance for your chance to get a signed poster or a photo with the guys. The Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers will be on the tube in a rematch of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, and there will be a mountain of prizes to be won.

Among Vees Club seats, and game tickets, two separate pairs of Canucks Tickets will be won. Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals visit Vancouver on the 18th of December and we’ve got a pair of VIP seats with unlimited grub, a night’s stay in Vancouver, and $100 spending cash. Also a pair of Blackhawks tickets will be given away for later in November.

We’ll see you at BP’s at 1900 Main Street at 7PM.

WORLD JR. ‘A’ CHALLENGE

Matt Cormier, FullFrameMedia.ca

Sean Bonar stopped 33 of 36 shots, and Joey LaLeggia had two assists as the Western Canadian squad beat the Swedes 6-3 in the final round robin game in Group A. Sweden and Canada West will now wait for the evening result to come in to find out who they will face in Thursday’s Quarterfinal. Canada West will play the loser of Belarus/USA, while Sweden will have to play the winner.

Canada East and Russia have already advanced to Friday’s Semi-Final with 2-0 records in round robin play.

We’ll catch up with Sean Bonar from Summerside, PEI following a Canada West 2-1 loss to the Russians on Sunday, also Interior Conference Power Rankings, News and Notes, Fred on Central Scouting’s swing and a miss, and the weekly staples like weekend highlights, the best answering machine in Penticton and our featured intermission conversation of the week.

Tune in from 6:05 to 7:00 on EZ Rock AM 800, MyEZRock.com, or wait until the show is posted on Monday night right here on the Vees Blog.

CJHL NATIONAL RANKINGS

The new weekly National Rankings are out, and whatever the dudes at CJHL headquarters are smoking, they need to cut back.

To illustrate the lack of logic in the CJHL rankings take a closer look at the Vernon Vipers… Since being ranked #1 in the nation, the Vipers have beat the #2 team in the country (which was Penticton at the time), have won 9 consecutive games, have outscored opponents 63-14 over that margin, and yet have fallen to fourth in the country. They’ve lost once since April the 10th playing in the top Junior ‘A’ league in the country.

Why has Vernon fallen from #1??

WJAC UPDATE

With Team Canada West and the USA both 0-1 in the round robin, both have a day off to prepare for Tuesday tilts. The Americans face the Belorussians and the Western boys will face the Swedes - who lost to Russia 3-2 in a shootout earlier today. The Russians advance to Friday’s Semi-Finals with the win having won ‘Group A’.

For more WJAC coverage check out the local fish-wrap in Summerside: the Journal Pioneer

A big thanks to Jeff Hook for continuing to throw these together.

Seach ROCKtheSOEC on YouTube for more Video of SOEC Events.

Steve Cameron posting a three point game for the Mercyhurst Lakers in a 6-4 win over the Bentley Falcolns on Saturday.

Austin Smith potted a pair on Saturday and had a four point weekend to take over the team lead in scoring as the Colgate Raiders tied the Army Black Knights and beat the Ferris State Bulldogs.

Also, it appears Curtis McKenzie hasn’t forgotten how to play the body since his graduation from the BCHL.

Brennan Barker D (SR, Alabama-Huntsville) - 8GP 0-3-3 8PIM

Anthony Borelli G (FR, Brown) - Has Not Played

Steve Cameron F (JR, Mercyhurst) - 8GP 4-3-7 4PIM

Cody Collins F (SR, Mercyhurst) - 8GP 1-2-3 0PIM

Deron Cousens D (JR, Michigan Tech) - 6GP 1-1-2 6PIM

Zac Dalpe F (SO, Ohio State) - 7GP 2-4-6 0PIM

Alex Evin G (SO, Colgate) - 4GP (1-1-2) 2.92 .896

Brett Hextall F (SO, North Dakota) - 6GP 2-0-2 18PIM

Tanner House F (JR, Maine) - 3GP 2-0-2 2PIM

Zack Josepher D (FR, Michigan State) - 7GP 2-2-4 4PIM

Devon Krogh D (FR, Ohio State) - 6GP 0-2-2 0PIM

Eric Kroshus F (SO, Harvard) - Has Not Played

Justin Krueger D (SR, Cornell) - 1GP 0-0-0 0PIM

Brian Lebler F (SR, Michigan) - 6GP 1-3-4 8PIM

Alex MacLeod F (SO, Michigan Tech) - 6GP 2-2-4 4PIM

Bryant Molle D (JR, Alaska-Fairbanks) - 6GP 0-1-1 2PIM

Curtis McKenzie F (FR, Miami-Ohio) - 6GP 2-3-5 12PIM

Cory Milan G (JR, Union) - 6GP (3-2-1) 2.57 .907

TJ Miller D (SR, Northern Michigan) - 4GP 0-0-0 2PIM

Trevor Nill F (SO, Michigan State) - 6GP 0-0-0 8PIM

Bryan Mountain G (FR, Northeastern) - Has Not Played

Kaare Odegard D (FR, Alaska-Fairbanks) - 5GP 0-1-1 2PIM

Travis Ouellette F (FR, Ferris State) - 5GP 2-0-2 2PIM

Cory Schneider F (SO, Ohio State)- 7GP 0-2-2 0PIM

Austin Smith F (SO, Colgate) - 7GP 4-3-7 8PIM

Evan Trupp F (JR, North Dakota) - 6GP 1-4-5 2PIM

Brent Vandenberg F (FR, Niagara) - 5GP 1-1-2 2PIM

Sean Bonar tends the Canada West net

Bennett’s Team USA was defeated 5-4 in a shootout by Team Canada East after blowing a three goal lead after 40 minutes, while Bonar and LaLeggia and the rest of Team Canada West were dumped 2-1 by Russia in a game that saw just 3 goals on 53 shots.

Of note to Vees fans (and scouts too, I’m sure) was the fact that Bonar and Bennett were named the player of the game from each of their respective teams. Beau scored a goal and had an assist, while also scoring in the shootout to earn the nod as the top American. Bonar stopped 18 of 20 shots against a crafty Russian squad and was named the Canada West player of the game, while defender Joey LaLeggia was held off the score sheet.

Tune in ‘Boston Pizza Vees This Week’ Monday night at 6PM to hear my conversation with Sean following that 2-1 loss to Russia.

Billy Faust earned his first career BCHL win and the Vees vaulted over Vernon and into first place in the Interior Conference with their seventh consecutive win on Saturday. The Vees have earned 21 of 22 points in October while outscoring their opponents 55-12 over the eleven game streak.

Saturday saw the Vees pepper the Cents with 42 shots while allowing just 18. A flu shortened Centennials bench was no match for the Vees short bench with three players at the World Jr. ‘A’ Challenge in Prince Edward Island and another gone to injury.

Logan Johnston was the games first star and only player to record a multi-point night as he rifled in his fifth of the year on a wicked wrister and set up Eric Filiou’s sixth of the season. Garrett Milan added his twelfth of the year on a shot from in close and Ryan Viselli’s sixth of the year opened the scoring as he tucked home a back-hand in the first period.

Denver Manderson and Jake Johnson bumped their point streaks to seven games as each added an assist in the win.

The Centennials lone goal came at the 16:35 mark of the third period that spoiled Billy Faust’s shutout bid. Alex Valenti whacked in a puck in the slot and Colton Sobchek and Derek Hills drew assists. Riley Wall made 38 saves on 42 shots in his first BCHL game of the season, playing as an AP for the Centennials.

The Vees did not score a goal over the weekend, but were perfect on the penalty kill. On Friday the Vees ended up 0/4 on the man-advantage, but were perfect in killing all three minors assessed to the club.

Next up for the Vees are the Langley Chiefs who will visit Penticton on Friday then host the Vees on Saturday from the brand new Langley Events Centre.

Another short-staffed two clubs will hit the ice at the SOEC this weekend. The Vees will be without the aforementioned 3 WJAC competitors as well as Bruins pick Ben Sexton. Merritt meanwhile have been ravaged by the flu bug (not H1N1) to the point where Friday’s game vs. Vernon was in question earlier in the week. The Cents aren’t the only club who have been hit by the flu bug as Burnaby was missing 5 regulars in last night’s 8-0 loss in Penticton, and tonight’s tilt between the Clippers and Grizzlies has been canceled (speculation has the flu as the culprit).

The EVIL Flu Bug

The Cents are running through goalies like I run through clean socks on a road trip… after adding another young tender in Cameron Dagg (the Cents third 17 or younger), the club has finally brought in an veteran guy in the form of 20-year-old Riley Wall who is a Jr. B journeyman. The Cents have allowed more goals against than any other team in the Milky Way… check that, just the BCHL.

For more on all things red, white and black head to Making Cents: The Centennials Blog.

Meanwhile, you can look for Billy Faust to make his first BCHL regulation start tonight. Faust is an L.A. kid who was teammates with Beau Bennett last year on the LA Jr. Kings (Midget) and has posted great numbers in Nelson (KIJHL, Jr. ‘B’) thus far this season. The Cali-kid has a tough act to follow as Joel Rumpel hung a zero on the Burnaby Express last night for his first BCHL shutout.

Tonight’s broadcast will start at 6:45 on EZ Rock in the South Okanagan and Similkameen, at BCHL.ca at the audio scoreboad, and at MyEZRock.com. I’ll be flying solo as Al Formo is dressing up for Halloween as the invisible man.

WJAC UPDATE

Though the tournament has yet to begin with the games that actually matter, Team Canada West has suited up for a pair of exhibition games in the Maritimes. On Thursday the Western Canadians beat Belarus 3-2 in a shootout, while they dropped a 5-2 decision to the defending gold medalists from USA last night.

As for the Vees in the competition, Beau Bennett has recorded an assist in his only game for the Yankees, while Sean Bonar has a win in his only appearance and stopped all three shots in the shootout, while Joey LaLeggia (who’s name is spelled ‘LaLegea’ in the boxscore) has a single assist in his two games played.

The real action gets underway on Sunday when the Canada West crew face the Russians, and the Americans clash with the Swedes. Elimination games begin on Thursday.

For more on the WJAC go HERE.

Alex Szczechura had two assists while filling on the Vees top line

Joey Holka and Bo Dolan notched a pair of goals each, and rookie puck-stopper Joel Rumpel turned aside all 33 shot for his first BCHL shutout and the Vees sixth consecutive victory. Harrison May allowed all eight goals on 45 Vees shots in the eleventh loss in the last thirteen games for the Express.

Captain Denver Manderson added another 3 points including his 15th goal of the season, while newcomer Taylor Peters had a short handed goal and two assists in his first BCHL game since being assigned to Penticton from Portland of the WHL. Other Vees recording multi-point nights were Garrett Milan, Jake Johnson, and Alex Szczechura. Johnson now has 8 points in 7 games since arriving in Penticton after starting his junior career with the Sioux City Muskateers of the USHL.

The Penticton home victory spoiled the return of former Vees Brad Reid, Jimmy Geerin, Matt Ridley and Luke Challier – who had multiple opportunities but failed to get the puck past Joel Rumpel.

With Sean Bonar and Joey LaLeggia playing for team Canada West in the World Junior A Challenge in P.E.I. and Ben Sexton out with an upper body injury, the Vees showed superior depth to their opponents who were also missing numerous players to a flu bug that has passed through their team.

When the dust settled on Friday nine Vees players had a point while seven had multi point nights. The Vees have 19 point in their last ten games with the only hiccup an overtime loss to the Vipers on October 9th. The Vees sit one point behind the Vipers for top spot in the Interior Conference, while Vernon holds a game in hand.

The Vees power play was the lone blemish on the night as the Vees finished 0/3, though the penalty kill was a perfect 6/6.

Tomorrow the Vees host the Merritt Centennials who are battling the flu and lost 10-4 to Vernon on Friday. Opening face-off is at 7:05 while the pre-game show on EZ Rock starts at 6:45.

On the heels of their recently released 2010 Watch List, Fred Harbinson was awfully vocal about his displeasure with NHL Central Scouting and their lack of exposure for the BCHL. Fred seemed particularly disappointed with Isaac MacLeod’s absence from the list, and I suppose you can see his point. If a 6′5 17-year-old defender who skates well isn’t a prospect, what is!?

Other topic broached include the team’s precautionary measures regarding the H1N1 flu epidemic (pandemic?!). Fred’s son Freddy (who lives in Wisconsin) is among the growing number of young athletes that have caught the Swine Flu.

Also, Fred walks us through the acquisition of Taylor Peters a big 17-year-old kid who played a full season with the Portland Winterhawks last year. The timing couldn’t be better as the Vees are facing short bench for the next two weeks with the World Jr. ‘A’ Challenge going on in PEI.

With the Burnaby Express in town featuring four former Vees, the home side missing four regulars, and the expected debut of newcomer Taylor Peters there are all sorts of reasons to be at the SOEC tomorrow.

Sean Bonar and Joey LaLeggia left on Monday for PEI as members of Team Canada West for the upcoming 2009 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge. Departing today was Beau Bennett who is the only non USHL member of team USA at the international event. A former WJAC player Ben Sexton (he suited up for team Canada East last year) is also unavailable for to the Vees, but it’s not because he’s taking part in the WJAC.

Ben Sexton left Sunday’s game and didn’t return after suffering an upper body injury. Sexton’s will not participate in this weekend’s action with Burnaby and Merritt, while his status for next weekend is still up in the air.

With Sexton’s injury the Vees are now looking at a weekend of play without their top power play defensman in LaLeggia, their top right winger in Bennett who is 3rd in BCHL scoring, their second line centre (Sexton), and Sean Bonar who is ranked 2nd in the BCHL in wins and save percentage, and sits 3rd in goals against average. EGADS!

The above probably helps explain why Fred Harbinson welcomed Taylor Peters into the fold today. The 17-year-old forward has played a full season in the WHL, and was assigned to the Vees today from the Portland Winterhawks.

Peters is a big kid who has recorded 10 points in 78 games in the ‘dub’. Taylor was named the winner of the Winterhawks Scholastic Award (which he shared with current Vernon Viper Sawyer Mick) last season, but cracked the ‘hawks line-up just three times this season.

Peters will join the Vees tomorrow and will surely make his Vees debut this weekend. For more on Taylor, check out his blog that he had for last season in Portland.

Fred Harbinson will have more on the transaction Thursday night from the Kettle Valley Station Pub, where Coach’s Corner gets back underway after a two week hiatus. Join us from 6-7 for your chance to join the media scrum and win a pair of tickets to Friday’s game Against the Burnaby Express.