The BCHL Interior Conference Final begins this weekend as the two biggest powerhouses in the BCHL meet for the last time ever.
The Brooks Bandits will face the Penticton Vees in a best-of-seven series, with the winner earning the right to play for the BCHL Championship in the next round.
The Vees are joining the Western Hockey League next season, meaning this will be the last time the two clubs face each other. The season series was even at 2-2, and both teams swept their previous round series.
The history of the Bandits and Vees goes back to 2012 when they met in the Doyle Cup, a best-of-seven series that saw the winner of the AJHL vs the winner of the BCHL. Penticton won in five games.
They met again in 2017 at the Western Canada Cup in Penticton. The Bandits beat the Vees 2-1 in overtime in the round robin, en route to winning the WCC. They met at the 2017 RBC Cup in Cobourg, ON, the Bandits beat the Vees again in overtime, 2-1.
The Bandits host Game 3 and Game 4 in Brooks on Monday, May 5 and Tuesday, May 6 at the Centennial Regional Arena!
To buy Single Game Tickets, click here!
Schedule
+if necessary
Game 1 @ Penticton – Friday, May 2 7:00 pm PT
Game 2 @ Penticton – Saturday, May 3 6:00 pm PT
Game 3 @ Brooks – Monday, May 5 7:00 pm MT
Game 4 @ Brooks – Tuesday, May 6 7:00 pm MT
+ Game 5 @ Penticton – Friday, May 9 7:00 pm PT
+ Game 6 @ Brooks – Monday, May 12 7:00 pm MT
+ Game 7 @ Penticton – Tuesday, May 13 7:00 pm PT
Listen to the live broadcasts of the games in Penticton on New Country 105.7 FM.
Season series:
September 27: Penticton 1 @ Brooks 4
Liam Fitzpatrick and Nick Peluso, and Parker Lalonde all tallied goals as the Bandits beat the Vees 4-1, outshooting the Vees 33-21. The Bandits chased Vees goaltender Will Ingemann after the third goal, Andrew Ness finished the game.
November 2: Brooks 6 @ Penticton 2
Parker Lalonde scored a breakaway goal 8:11 into the game, and forward Nathan Free scored a hat trick as the Bandits blew out the Vees 6-2 in Penticton. The win wrapped a dominate week that saw the Bandits win in Trail and West Kelowna earlier in the trip.
January 24: Penticton 2 @ Brooks 1
Lalonde scored late in the 3rd period to make it close, but the Vees held on for their first win over Brooks. It was goaltender Zach Zahara’s first start vs Penticton, making 24 saves. It was the first game following the BCHL All-Star Break.
February 1: Brooks 1 @ Penticton 6
Free tied the game early in the 2nd period 1-1, but the Vees would get their revenge on home ice, winning 6-1.
Brooks record vs Penticton: 2-2
Brooks Goal Differential: Goals For 12, Goals Against 11
Brooks Powerplay vs Penticton 3/18
Brooks Penalty Kill vs Penticton 15/19
Top Scorers vs Penticton:
Nick Peluso 2G 2A
Parker Lalonde 3G 1A
Ethan Beyer 1G 3A
Nathan Free 4G
Goaltender Head to Head:
Zach Zahara’s second home start was vs the Vees on January 24th, making 24 saves. He got the start again on February 1st in Penticton. Will Ingemann started two games vs Brooks, while Ethan Buenaventura started the other two.
Playoff Stats
Brooks record 8-1
Penticton record 8-0
Brooks Powerplay 28.6% 4th
Brooks Penalty Kill 85.4% 3rd
Penticton Powerplay 23.1% 6th
Penticton Penalty Kill 100% 1st
Regular Season Stats
Brooks 40-10-2-2 84 points (2nd Interior Conference)
Penticton 41-8-5 87 points (1st Interior Conference)
Brooks Powerplay 23.6% 7th
Brooks Penalty Kill 87.2% 1st
Penticton Powerplay 23.6% 6th
Penticton Penalty Kill 81.8% 4th
Brooks Goals For 234 3rd
Brooks Goals Against 123 1st
Penticton Goals For 210 6th
Penticton Goals Against 199 2nd
The Coastal Conference Final will see the Chilliwack Chiefs play the Victoria Grizzlies. Chilliwack survived a Round One series with Prince George that went seven games. The Chiefs took down the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in five games in Round Two.
The Grizzlies beat the Coquitlam Express in six games in Round One, and then downed the Cowichan Capitals in six games in Round Two.
Photo credit: Matt Piotrowski
