GAME PREVIEW: VEES vs. KING

Season Series: The Kings and Vees hook up for the second and final time this season. This is also the back half of a home and home. The Vees drew first blood with a convincing 4-1 win at the SOEC on Saturday. The Kings did score the opening goal in the first, however, it was all Vees from there on out. Myles McCauley scored the game winner 15 seconds into the second period.


Last 10: Kings- 7-3-0-0 Vees 7-2-1-0

Big Story: After fire works at the end of Saturday's game, tonight's will be emotionally charged, at least for Powell River. Six misconducts, four of which went to King players, were hand out with eight seconds left in the third period. The melee started when Klay Kachur delivered a hit on a Vee defender inside the Vee’s zone.

The Kings were embarrassed and want to prove that wasn't near their best three nights ago.

Team Scope:

Penticton is embarking on a five game, seven day Sunshine Coast / Island road trip. Tonight is the first game of the leg. The Vees are in Cowichan Valley on Wednesday, Nanaimo Friday then Victoria and Alberni Valley on Saturday and Sunday.

The Vees are in the middle of a stretch of playing 11 straight games against the Coastal Conference. They started the streak on January 7th with a home and home with Surrey which they followed with another home and home with Langley. Then it was games against Coquitlam last Friday and most recently against Powell River. The Vees aren't fairing that bad either.

So far the Vees this season are 8-1-0-1 against the Coastal Conference, the only points they dropped was a 5-3 loss to Coquitlam on Friday. They did earn a single point in October when Alberni Valley edged the Vees in overtime.



Powell River is coming into tonight's game in a position they haven't been in all season-losers of two straight.  You have to go back to January 29th and 27th of last season to find the last time the Kings lost two consecutive games in regulation. Guess who they lost to? Yes the Kings, like this season, dropped games to Penticton and Vernon on the very same trip.

The Kings will need to shore up their penalty-kill as well tonight. The Kings have surrendered six power-play goals in the last three games. By some team’s standards that wouldn't be disastrous, but when your kill was consistently in the 90 percentile, it gets magnified. Compounding the matter is the fact Penticton boasts the leagues best power-play. The Vees are humming along at just over 28 percent on the season and scored 58 goals on the man up. Suffice to say the Kings have to limit the Vees opportunities on the power-play.

Who's Hot: Once again Matt Garbowsky's name comes up. Garbowsky has three goals and five points in as many games, including three points (1+2=3) in his last two games. Chad Niddery has three goals and four points in the last five. However all three goals came on January 15th in Victoria and he has only one assist in his last four games. The other third of the top line has started to find his scoring touch. Dan Schuler has two goals and four points in five games. Schuler scored twice in Trail and had one helper in a three point night. Justin DaSilva is providing punch from the back end. DaSilva has scored once and has added three helpers in five games.

Mark MacMillan has been on a torrid pace for Penticton. The Montreal Canadien draft pick has two goals and 10 points in his past five games. Joey Laleggia isn't too far behind, with a goal and eight points in five games. Brenden O'Donnell has seven points (3+4=7) along with Joey Benik (2+5=7).

Injury Report: Michael Betz and Chad Bannor sat Saturday's game out for Penticton. Troy Stecher was injured on Saturday and didn't make the trip. The Kings return two bodies in  Brenden Forbes and Dan Schuler, as both are expected to play. Mike Garteig won't dress tonight as he is battling the flu. The Kings have called up Corey Koop from the Victoria Cougars.

Stat Pack: Penticton handed Powell River just their third regulation loss when scoring first on Saturday. The Kings were 28-2-2-1 going into the game. The Vees are riding an 18 game streak of scoring one or more power-play goals in a game. That dates back to November 26th versus Westside.

This and That: This will be the Kings first home game in 11 days, dating back to January 14th against Surrey. After tonight the Kings only have five home games left, with only four in February.