History will be made in Penticton this weekend when more than a dozen of the B.C. Hockey League’s brightest stars go toe-to-toe in the sport’s most competitive skill drills.
The BCHL Skills Competition comes to Penticton’s new outdoor rink at 1 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 21, as part of the league’s 60th-anniversary all-star game celebration.
Never in the BCHL’s history has such an event been played at an outdoor facility, according to deputy commissioner Steven Cocker.
Two players from each of the Coastal and Interior conferences will participate in four different drills, including Penticton Vees forwards Josh and Bradly Nadeau, who rank No. 1 and 2 in league scoring during the 2022-2023 season.
Only select players will compete in each of the fastest skater, hardest shot, accuracy shooting and agility/passing drills, with all participants scheduled to appear in the breakaway-relay challenge at the end of the event.
The BCHL announced the competition’s full lineup:
Fastest skater
• Mateo Dixon (Coquitlam Express)
• Brady Hunter (Trail Smoke Eaters)
• Karter McNarland (Powell River Kings)
• Jaiden Moriello (West Kelowna Warriors)
Agility/Passing
• Jake Bongo (Surrey Eagles)
• Ethan Bono (Alberni Valley Bulldogs)
• Nathan Mackie (Salmon Arm Silverbacks)
• Cade Littler (Wenatchee Wild)
Accuracy Shooting
• Mirko Buttazzoni (Coquitlam Express)
• Kai Daniells (Nanaimo Clippers)
• Josh Nadeau (Penticton Vees)
• Jack Silich (Cranbrook Bucks)
Hardest Shot
• John Herrington (Prince George Spruce Kings)
• Bradly Nadeau (Penticton Vees)
• Olivier Picard (Victoria Grizzlies)
• Garrett Valk (Langley Rivermen)
The outdoor rink also hosts the BCHL’s alumni game at 2:30 p.m. and three-on-three all-star tournament starting at 4 p.m. this Saturday.
READ MORE: Expect large crowds, road closure near Penticton’s outdoor rink for BCHL all-star games
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