The BCHL’s top team visits the Penticton Vees tonite at the South Okanagan Events Centre at 6 p.m.
The Wenatchee Wild, ranked 10th in the Canadian Junior Hockey League, take on the Vees after defeating the Vernon Vipers Friday.
A three-goal second period was all the Wild needed to claim a 3-1 win. After a scoreless first, Matt Baker, Charlie Combs and Jasper Weatherby scored in the second to put the Wild in command. Austin Adamson wound up scoring the lone Vipers goal in the third on Anthony Yamnitsky who made 31 saves. Darion Hanson made 44 saves for Vernon.
READ MORE: Penticton Vees lose battle of the top two teams in BCHL
Vees defenceman Gabe Bast will face the Wild for the first time in his career and said the game is going to be fun.
“We could potentially seem them in the playoffs,” said Bast, who did not play in Trail Friday. “It’s going to be unreal. I hope we get this rink packed.”
The Wild lead the BCHL in goals with 255 and only the Vees (118) have given up fewer goals than their 125. The Wild also have the league’s leading scorer in Brendan Harris with 21 goals and 86 points in 51 games. Teammate Charlie Coombs leads the league in goals with 46 in 51 games. AJ Vanderbeck, who has 35 goals, has buried six game-winners.
READ MORE: Sillinger, Conway lead Vees to wild win over Wenatchee
The Wild also possess the league’s best special teams.
Wild goalie Anthony Yamnitsky is third in wins with 26 trailing only Penticton’s Mat Robson and Chilliwack’s Mark Sinclair, who both have 30. Yamnitsky, however, is 19th in save percentage at .893 to go with the fourth best goals against average at 2.34.
The Three V’s Blog reports that Robson is back in goal for the Vees, while Grant Cruikshank, Griffin Mendel and Owen Sillinger return to the lineup. Taylor Sanheim is still out with an injury as is Mitch Meek.
-written with files from the BCHL.
