If thereB次元官网网址檚 any guarantee about this yearB次元官网网址檚 BCHL Finals, itB次元官网网址檚 that a storybook ending is on its way.
The Penticton Vees are looking to win back-to-back Fred Page Cup titles for the first time in 37 years. They will battle the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, a franchise that is making its first-ever finals appearance.
B次元官网网址淲hen I first got here, the Vees hadnB次元官网网址檛 won since 1986,B次元官网网址� recalled Fred Harbinson, the teamB次元官网网址檚 head coach, general manager and president. B次元官网网址淲e won the finals in 2008 and at the time, I remember the city was hungry for itB次元官网网址B次元官网网址檓 sure thatB次元官网网址檚 what Alberni Valley is going through right now.B次元官网网址�
Game No. 1 of the fourth-round series goes Friday night, May 12, at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Since HarbinsonB次元官网网址檚 arrival in Penticton, the Vees have won five Fred Page Cup titles.
The teamB次元官网网址檚 bench boss became the all-time BCHL playoff series wins leader (30), following the VeesB次元官网网址� series-clinching victory against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks last Friday, May 5.
Alberni Valley, led behind the bench by former Merritt Centennials coach Joe Martin, is riding high themselves after completing a sweep of the Chilliwack Chiefs en route to their history-making conference title.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an accomplishment, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 feel like one yet,B次元官网网址� Martin said. B次元官网网址淚 have a lot of respect for the opponents that we did play, but itB次元官网网址檚 the past and here we are moving forward.B次元官网网址�
The Bulldogs returned home last week to a large, celebratory crowd outside its bus on Vancouver Island. Games No. 3 and 4 of the finals held in Port Alberni were sold out within a matter of days of tickets going on sale.
B次元官网网址淚 hope our city isnB次元官网网址檛 complacent and I donB次元官网网址檛 think they areB次元官网网址ur fans are awesome and weB次元官网网址檙e going to need everyoneB次元官网网址檚 support here over the next couple of days,B次元官网网址� said Harbinson.
Penticton, a team no stranger to being labeled as the B次元官网网址渇avourties,B次元官网网址� posted a league-best 50-3-0-1 during the regular season. They downed Alberni Valley twice in as many games in the process.
Since Christmas, though, the teams ranked No. 1 and 2 in BCHL regular-season play.
B次元官网网址淲hen you get to the finals, itB次元官网网址檚 not about upsets, favourites or underdogs,B次元官网网址� Harbinson said. B次元官网网址淭he two best teams are playing in the finals and thatB次元官网网址檚 good for our league.B次元官网网址�
After the first two games of the series in Penticton on Friday and Saturday, the finals will shift to Vancouver Island for the third and fourth games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com
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