The Penticton Vees host the Powell River Kings on Teddy Bear Toss night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
The Vees are fresh off a tough double-overtime loss to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, who rode the goaltending of new addition Nic Tallarico, who finished with an incredible 51-save performance in a 4-3 final.
READ MORE: Vees lose to Silverbacks in double overtime
Vees defenceman Griffin Mendel had this to say when it came to what they have to do to pick up two points tonight.
“We just have to know what this feels like losing and use it to fuel us,” he said.
The Kings are second in the Island Division with 20 wins, 10 losses and one overtime defeat. The Kings were in Chilliwack on Friday and earned a 5-3 win over the Chiefs. Tristan Mullin’s winner came as part of a three-goal Kings second period. Ben Berard put the visitors in front in the first and in the second, after Kohen Olischefski tied it on the power play for Chilliwack, it was Liam Lawson, Cam Donaldson and Mullin that scored in succession to put the Kings in command. Tommy Lee and Davis Bunz scored in the third for the Chiefs, bringing them within one, but Jonny Evans sealed the deal for Powell River with an unassisted goal. Brian Wilson made 37 saves for the win.
The Kings are led offensively by Cam Donaldson, who is sixth in league scoring with 22 goals and 40 points in 30 games. Between the pipes, Wilson is fifth in the league with a 2.63 goals against average to go with 12 wins, one shutout and a .917 save percentage.
The Vees will look to end their two-game skid and will be without defencemen Gabe Bast and Mitch Meek for the second straight game due to injury, and Jamie Armstrong who is ill, according to the Three V’s Blog. The Vees have called up 15-year-old affiliate Massimo Rizzo, who is third in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League with seven goals and 19 assists in 15 games for the Burnaby Winter Club.
Puck drop is 6 p.m.