The next chapter in the Penticton Vees’ quest for BCHL history begins on April 5.
After finishing the 54-game regular season on Easter Sunday as the Interior Conference’s top team, Penticton (38-10-3-3) hosts the Prince George Spruce Kings (16-35-3-0) on Friday for Game No. 1 of the playoffs’ first round.
The Vees — winners of the Fred Page Cup in 2022 and 2023 — will look to become the first team in 13 years to win three straight league titles.
“Not many junior hockey teams can do what we’ve done over the last couple of years,” said Fred Harbinson, the Vees’ head coach, general manager and president. “Bringing back just two players [from last year] and still winning the Interior regular-season championship…this team has really grown individually and as a group.”
Penticton enters the BCHL Playoffs on a three-game losing skid, falling on home ice to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, Trail Smoke Eaters and West Kelowna Warriors to wrap up the regular season.
That marks the Vees’ longest losing streak at the SOEC since November 2012.
“We are going to reset,” Harbinson said.
“If you know me, when I say we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it. We will be ready for the playoffs come Friday night.”
The Vees host the Spruce Kings for games No. 1 and 2, before the first-round, best-of-seven series shifts to Prince George for games No. 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Games No. 5, 6 and 7, if necessary, would go on April 12, 14 and 16.
Prince George finished in last place in the Interior but qualified for the postseason as a result of the Wenatchee Wild leaving the BCHL and leaving the conference with an odd number of playoff teams.
The Spruce Kings’ 236 goals against in 2023-2024 ranked last in the BCHL.
Penticton, led by rookie goaltenders Will Ingemann and Andrew Ness, ranked first in total goals-against this season with 116.
Penticton won five out of six games against Prince George in the regular season. Thomas Pitchette, the Vees’ co-captain, recorded 10 points during that time.
His fellow co-captain and returning player from last year’s Vees, Callum Arnott, finished the regular season as the team’s leading scorer.
When the first-round series kicks off Friday night, it will mark a playoff rematch from 2022 between the Interior foes.