Giller’s Goals:

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giller’s goals

by viper staff Added 2010-06-15 Back

There are two ways to look at Sahir Gill’s goals. His team mates would probably focus on his scoring. For a player who doesn’t often unleash booming shots, Sahir Gill gets a lot of big goals.

On the other hand, the mature 18-year old is more likely to discuss his career goals and his chosen profession.

Sahir joined the Vipers in September 2008 as a highly touted 16-year old, pursued by the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants. He chose the Jr. “A” route in order to develop his skill set and keep his college options open. (As it turns out, he was being courted by Boston University at the time.)

Before coming to Vernon, Sahir played minor hockey in his hometown of Terrace and then in Abbotsford. He then spent a year at the Okanagan Hockey School in Penticton. At the end of that year, he went to Alberni Valley’s 2008 spring camp, but was told he wasn’t ready for the BCHL. That fall, he got an invitation to the Vipers’ camp, through Viper goaltending coach, Sean Matile. As a result of his strong showing, he was offered one of the Vipers’ two 16-year old spots.

At first, the skilled youngster was in and out of the Viper lineup, but he eventually ended up on the Jones line, one of Mark Ferner’s canny moves last year. He has enjoyed playing with the Joneses. “They’re great: their work ethic, their pinpoint passing, and their creativity are second to none. I sort of got into their mindset as the season progressed and we did pretty well in the playoffs.”
(Note: the three linemates finished 1-2-3 in Viper playoff scoring last season.)

He had a number of critical goals last season, including a Doyle Cup game winner on his 17th birthday, in Grande Prairie. He also scored the overtime goal in the Fred Page clincher against Powell River last year.

This year, he has retained that knack for getting big goals. He gives a lot of the credit for those goals to the Jones twins: “basically, I just go to the net, knowing that they’ll get the puck there. I look for deflections, rebounds, pucks off my skates or shin pads … you know, the greasy stuff!”

He’s being modest, of course. The three-way passing plays executed by that line have thrilled fans in British Columbia, Alberta, and Manitoba. Still, most of his goals come from in front of goal.

One exception was the 35-footer he scored to get the Vipers’ first goal in the RBC round-robin match with Brockville. With his team down 2-0 in the third period, Sahir fired a shot from the deep corner and caught Justin Gilbert off guard. The strike opened the floodgates against the red-hot goalie and the Vipers went on to win, 4-2.

The 185-pound Gill has become a physical presence, pasting defencemen in their zone and freeing pucks for Connor and Kellen. He says, “As a 16-year old, I was a little timid, but I wanted to hit more this year because it’s a big part of the game, and I realized that you won’t have to fight some big bruiser just because you body check someone. Besides, those Jones kids really lay some licks, and I wanted to keep up with them.”

In the 2009 off season, Sahir went to the USHL’s Chicago Steel and although he had success there and “was treated really well” he says, he returned to the Vipers after Christmas. He returned “for personal reasons and because the Vipers are a special organization, with an unmatched tradition.”

He had been off skates for a month when he rejoined the team, so his play was a little sluggish at first. However, he gradually regained his form and was placed on the Jones line. The three players flashed their magic almost immediately.

Next year, Sahir will suit up for the University of Boston Terriers, who pursued him right from the 2008 training camp. He delayed his acceptance of the Terriers’ offer because his age prevented him from a flydown that would allow him to see the university and its programs first hand. Despite his brief sojourn in Chicago, Boston University maintained its commitment to Sahir, a fact that he really appreciates.

Eventually, he will study law, a profession that has intrigued him after discussions with his grandfather, a lawyer. Bet on Sahir Gill to fulfill that goal the way he has continued to meet his hockey goals.