The Penticton Valley First Vees and their much anticipated wait for the playoffs are finally over. After playing the sixty game regular season that saw them earn first place in the Interior Division and the coveted first round playoff bye, the Vees are now ready to get down to business.

Playoff hockey in the BCHL can be so exciting and at times can leave fans on the edge of their seats. I wouldn’t and fans shouldn’t expect much different come this year's playoffs when the Penticton Vees hit the ice Friday night against the Vernon Vipers.

Although I’ve never been real fond of throwing predictions out there, I will try to break down the Interior Conference and the power players who might be difference makers for their respective clubs.

Coaching: This is an element of the BCHL that is of the highest quality, and sometimes not given the credit that they so deserve. With Fred Harbinson here in Penticton, the Vees have one the best out there and one who demands respect and comes with a real passion for the game of hockey. The Vernon Vipers have a real good one in Mark Ferner. Although Fred Harbinson and Mark Ferner are classified as rookie coaches in the BCHL, with their experience in the hockey world they are not even close to being rookie coaches! Both came to the BCHL having taken much different routes to get were they are today and both indeed are veterans of the game. Ferner even had his cup of coffee in the NHL during his playing days, having played in 94 big league games. Another good coach is second year bench boss Mark Howell who is guiding the Westside Warriors for his second season. Howell did a fantastic job guiding the 2nd year Warriors to a second place finish with a 40 win season which trailed the Vees by just three points for first place in the Interior division. The coach who has the ability to keep his team disciplined and the coach who is able to keep his emotions in check should have the advantage and quite likely go the furthest in the playoffs.

Goal tending: On any championship team, whether we are talking about the BCHL or any other league, inevitably the buck usually stops at the young men who wear the glorified Jason masks. If ever there was a team who has an advantage in this department, it’s most likely the Vees and goalie Alex Evin.

Although Vees goaltender and regular season MVP Alex Evin continues to carry a lot of pressure on his shoulders, he has shown time after time he’s the real deal. He’s been the #1 guy in Penticton for most of the year, and deserves as much credit as he has been given to this point. Having a definite number one keeper is certainly an advantage to that of teams who don’t. As I look at other teams in the BCHL, there seems to be teams who are still searching for a number #1. I would suggest teams are further ahead anointing one guy rather than juggling two guys this late in the season.

Defence: Most fans will say the Vees have the much superior defence than that of their counterparts within the BCHL. The Vees do in fact have a real solid D core however the Westside Warriors and Vernon Vipers are no slouches themselves on the back end. With the upgrading the Vipers did at trade deadline, they are now solid on the back end and shouldn’t be overlooked. The Silverbacks also have a nice mix with the likes of Captain Michael Glacier, Damon Kipp and Matt Grassi. All things considered though, the Vees look tough to beat with seven very capable guys on the blue line. The veteran experience of Ryan Wagner, Nic Knudsen, Nathan Westover and Michael Hengen should be enough to carry the load for the Vees for whomever they end up playing against.

Forwards: There are many top end players who call the the Interior Division home this season. From the likes of bona fide sniper Hunter Bishop with the Vernon Vipers who sniped 57 goals in 60 regular season games. Westside Warriors deadline day acquisition Clinton Pettapiece will be another player to watch come playoff time. He finished this season just points behind the scoring leader Carlo Finucci with 98 points and as his 26 points in just 18 playoff games a year ago with the Cowichan Valley Capitals dictate, he performs come playoff time as well. Not to be outdone, the Vees have a few guys who are certain to light the lamp and have good playoffs as well. Don’t be to surprised if clutch performers Michael Guzzo, Kyle McMurphy complement the likes of Denver Manderson, Zac Dalpe and Brett Hextall to some post season success for the Vees.

Intangibles: This key word can and will most likely be the difference for who is to win or lose come playoff time. There are so many of these so called make or break it intangibles to mention, here's a few to ponder. Will the first round bye and two week break for the Vees be a benefit or detriment to them? Which teams will be more disciplined and stay away from the penalties and penalty box? Will home ice become a factor or will it matter where the games are played? Last and probably most important, which team will have the team chemistry required to advance to the Interior Finals?

Regardless of all of these factors mentioned, there will be a lot of battles won and lost at Penticton’s Memorial Arena starting Friday night. With the South Okanagan Events Center soon to be the new home of the Vees, this season will be the last season or playoff hockey played at the old barn on Power Street. It's time fans of Penticton get out in full force to watch some great hockey at the historic old barn and cheer on our Vees.

With the recent tragedy in Bathurst, New Brunswick, that claimed the precious lives of seven students and one teacher, it really puts life into perspective! With this accident more than ever, a lot of people seem to be debating this recent accident.

I am certainly not in the position to down play what happened on the day in question, when the van the basketball players were riding in, crashed into a transport truck that would claim their lives. Like many others, I have my own thoughts on this sad, sad tragedy. As a former junior hockey player of three seasons that saw many many bus trips, as well as numerous minor sporting trips, I can thankfully say I've never been close to a personal experience such as the one in Bathurst.

It is my firm belief that drivers of any vehicles that carry passengers in numbers need to carefully and cautiously address every situation as it arises. If it means that the minor sports or school team has to stay that extra few hours or the extra night in the hotel, so be it. This accident and ones like them can be debated for years. However the true reality of this accident, as well as others, is that sadly accidents like this do happen and will likely happen again. The chances however, will diminish greatly if more thought and a process is put in place and followed when dealing with school and team trips of this kind. Sadly the most recent incident happened only moments from the team’s final destination of travel.

Similarly, an accident that many hockey fans will sadly remember happened in the Western Hockey League many years ago. The year was 1986, and the day was December 30th. It will never be forgotten for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. The single vehicle crash that included only the bus claimed the lives of four young hockey players. The bus driver on that occasion lost control of the bus as it overturned and skidded off the road onto its side. The aftermath will not soon be forgotten, nor should it be. As a league, the WHL has since named a trophy to remember the boys who lost their lives in this tragedy. Fittingly it’s dubbed the Four Broncos trophy and given to the WHL player of the year.

The scene of young players boarding buses or vans to play in the WHL as well as numerous other sports teams, continues to happen on a regular basis.

As a very proud parent of two young children, a message for all parents out there take note of just how precious life can be and cherish your loved ones as you just never know what life brings you!

The month of December is usually a sign that family and friends will be home for the holiday season. Although most families look forward to their loved ones returning to their roots for some holiday cheer and some good ol' fashion family time, there is a select group of parents and families who will not be seeing their young sons this holiday season. You may be asking why and what could be more important than visiting family over the holidays? If you're a hockey fan and bleed Canadiana like I do, then you know that with Boxing Day just around the corner, so is another year of World Junior Hockey. So to answer the question the boys from Team Canada will not be spending time with family and friends this holiday season, instead they will be playing hockey for this great country of ours.

This year's tournament will be held in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia and will feature the power nations of Canada, USA, and Russia who will all be vying for the long lasting memory of winning that coveted Gold Medal. Over the the history of this prestigious tournament, Canada has at times owned this annual event. For a good number of years, Team Canada has literally made it nearly impossible for other nations to seriously compete. From the years 1993-1997 Team Canada had the stranglehold on the tournament winning five consecutive gold medals and most recently the Canadians have won the last three consecutive gold medals. Former bench boss, Brent Sutter, who now coaches the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, was a perfect fit who demanded nothing but success from the young men from Canada who would give Sutter a career 12 wins and 0 loss record during his stint as head coach.

Team Canada’s successes have now been handed over to long time former NHL'er, Craig Hartsburg, who hopes to follow in Sutter's footsteps. Led by the return of players Karl Alzner (who most recently was named team captain), Brad Marchand, and ex BCHL superstar, Kyle Turris, the boys carrying the red and white flag look to be serious contenders once again this holiday season! Throw in the names of projected first round NHL draft pick and Oshawa Generals star John Tavares and goaltender Johnathon Bernier, and all you can do is hope for gold! Kelowna Rockets Defenseman Luke Schenn isn't likely to be a major contributor offensively, however will be counted on heavily to be one of the shut down guys on the back-end.

With a tournament like this and the urgency of each game, teams don’t have many second chances to redeem themselves if they happen to stumble. If Team Canada is to carry on the tradition of winning another gold medal they must come out of the gates flying when they play the Czech Republic at 2 pm on Dec 26th. If past history repeats itself, Team Canada is always well prepared for this event! From top executive Bob Nicholson to the water boy, they all know what it takes to win the big prize and will do anything to reach that goal.

Although there will be some real exciting junior hockey to take in locally over this holiday season, I can tell you where my focus will be. I cannot wait to see how this year’s tournament unfolds, as I anxiously await puck drop.

If you need a schedule of the games, don’t hesitate to contact me. Kyle Sunderman, (sundy@shaw.ca)

Although many people tell me they prefer the National Football League over the Canadian Football League, I must admit I've become a real fan of this once fledgling league.

For as long as I can remember, football fans have questioned the skill level of the players in the CFL, and often compare the level to that of the players in the National Football League. We can argue the point of talent, however one cannot argue the fact of just how exciting this league can be at times. As a self proclaimed die-hard hockey fan, I've become a little reluctant to admit that I've actually become a huge fan of the CFL in the last few years! I wouldn't go so far as calling myself a die-hard CFL fan but after watching the past season as well as Sunday's Western Final between the BC Lions and Saskatchewan Rough Riders, I think I'm getting close. Even though their dream season came to a crashing halt in the Western Final, how can anyone say the BC Lions haven't had a great season? The season wasn't capped with another Grey Cup, however it was a fun, action-packed season to watch.

From the heroics of third string quarterback, Jarious Jackson, all year long to the most recent and infamous moustache growing antics from the entire team including coach Wally Buono. The Lions who were playing in their fourth consecutive Western Final were pre-game favorites. However, the Rough Riders would not be denied by the Lions and the huge crowd of 54,712 jammed into BC Place. Saskatchewan used 16 points off turnovers and a stingy defence to defeat the defending Grey Cup Champion Lions 26-17 in Sunday's West Division final. Jackson who was a nice story all season long for the Leos, struggled in his first playoff start. He put together one good drive, however was also was picked off twice, both leading to field goals. He left the game after completing just 3 of 12 passes for 51 yards. Veteran quarterback, Dave Dickenson, who missed most of the season after suffering a concussion in a July 13th game against Regina, replaced Jackson with 1:23 left in the opening half. Dickenson finished the game completing 14 of 19 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown, as well was being sacked five times.

The 95th Grey Cup final will see the Saskatchewan Rough Riders play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Toronto on November 25th.

Better luck next year Leos, and go get those Roughies, Big Blue.

Link: Grey Cup Toronto