After two relatively easy first round playoff series the Westside Warriors and the Penticton Vees have begun what should be a fan-friendly second round B.C. Hockey League series.
The Warriors and Vees play game one tonight (Tuesday) and will play game two Wednesday in Penticton before the best-of-seven series heads to Westside for games three and four Frady and Saturday nights.
Check Warriors Central at www.kelownacapnews.com for last night’s score and more on the series.
“I think it’s going to be a really good series,” said Warriors coach Darren Yopyk. “I think it’s two really good hockey clubs. At this time of the year you want to face the best. They’re ranked third or fourth in the country and had a 100 point season so we want to go through the best.”
The Vees finished second in the BCHL Interior with a 48-8-0-4 record and easily swept Merritt in the first round. Westside was 38-18-1-3 in the regular season and needed five games to oust Trail from the playoffs.
It’s the second ever playoff meeting between the two teams. In 2007-08 the Vees swept the Warriors in the BCHL Interior Conference final.
“It should be a great series for the fans,” said Vees coach Fred Harbinson. “We’re 40 minutes away from each other. It should be interesting. Whoever comes out of the series should be well prepared for the Interior final.”
In the other Interior semifinal series the upstart Quesnel Millionaires will take on the powerhouse Vernon Vipers. The Millionaires upset Salmon Arm in the first round while the Vipers had a bye thanks to an incredible 51-6-0-3 record.
A Warriors win in the series against Penticton will advance the club as far as the team has ever gone in the BCHL playoffs.
“I think we have shown we can play with Penticton,” said Yopyk, whose team won three and lost five games of the season series. “We believe in our room that we can win.”