BCHL Team Reports: Playoffs On The Horizon

This is in the BC Hockey Now Newspaper:

BCHL Team Reports: Playoffs On The Horizon

February 24, 2012

Posted in BC Edition, Junior A

BY BRENT MUTIS

Playoff positioning is the name of the game right now with only three weeks left in the regular season and some teams having as few as five games remaining.

Besides Penticton finishing first in the Interior, all other seven playoff spots have yet to be determined with just seven points separating first from fourth in the Coastal Conference and nine points separating second from fifth in the Interior.

Coastal Conference

Alberni Valley Bulldogs

Mainly because of Victoria plummeting late in the season, the ’Dogs have moved up to sixth place. The return of Yan Kalashnikov from injury has been nice as he and brother Artsiom have been productive lately. Rookie Evan Tironese has six goals in his last four games.

Coquitlam Express

The BCHL’s second highest-scoring team has put itself in striking distance of first place while creating a comfortable lead over fifth-place Nanaimo. A recent 8-0 loss to Merritt was alarming but the leadership of Alex Petan and goaltending of Cole Huggins usually means losses don’t turn into streaks.

Cowichan Valley Capitals

A mid-January swoon was scary and dropped the Caps from first to third but dry coinciding dry spells for Brett Knowles, Devin Gannon, Richard Vanderhoek and Jake Charles seem to be over. Matt Brown has been in and out of the lineup for the last month and that has had a major impact as the QMJHL transfer has been a bellwether for the Caps.

Langley Rivermen

The lowest scoring team in the Coastal Conference has received 20-goals campaigns from Mario Puskarich and Mike Tebbutt and playmaker Darnell Dyck has turned in another fine season as he approaches 225 career games but there hasn’t been enough push from the blueline. The Rivermen carry the league’s second-worst power play and have the fewest goals on the man advantage at 35.

Nanaimo Clippers

Trailing the Coquitlam Express by 11 points for the final playoff spot on Feb. 20, the Clips would need a minor miracle to get into the postseason. Mike Vandekamp’s crew finishes February with six straight road games and had only one win in the first four of those. Goalie Billy Faust’s scholarship to Vermont is one piece of good news that’s come in lately.

Powell River Kings

A 10-game win streak was halted abruptly by the Coquitlam Express on Feb. 11. The Express have been a thorn in the Kings’ side all season and could prove a worry for Kent Lewis’ team should they be matched up in the postseason. Rookie Matt Scarth had seven points, including five goals, in a recent two-game set against Victoria.

Surrey eagles

The Coastal Conference’s first-place club as of this writing, the Eagles have not lost in regulation in their last 10 games. Robert Lindores has emerged as a nice secondary offensive weapon after Tyler Morley with 10 points in his last six games. Despite being the lowest scoring of the four Coastal playoff teams, they do have 10 players with double-digit goals.

Victoria Grizzlies

Taylor Pears, brought in from the University of Victoria of the BCIHL after injuries to Garrett Rockafellow and the trading of Jamie Tucker, has made some headlines and stole the Grizzlies’ lone win in their last 10 games with a 58-save effort against Coquitlam Feb. 10. That about sums up the Grizz right now.

Interior Conference

Chilliwack Chiefs

The Chiefs have swapped places with the Vernon Vipers for the final playoff spot several times in the last week and are in for a dogfight for rights to the post-season. Spence Graboski has produced almost half his points on the season in the last 15 games but and needs to keep it up.

Merritt Centennials

After producing 11 goals in eight games spanning late January

to early February, the Cents erupted for 19 goals in a recent three-game stretch. The three-week swoon has brought them back to the Interior pack for second place but they still have a three-game edge on Prince George.

Penticton Vees

The Streak has reached 34 consecutive wins though the Vernon Vipers almost snapped it recently but couldn’t hang on to a 4-2 third-period lead on Feb. 17. Joey Benik has produced points all season but has really turned on the goalscoring lately with 10 goals in his last nine games.

Prince George Spruce Kings

The Paul De Jersey - Jujhar Khaira - Michael Colantone engine keeps running smoothly and now the Fitzgerald triplets
(Gerry, Leo and Myles) have really kicked it into gear combining for 28 points in their last nine games while continuing to play on the same line.

Salmon Arm SilverBacks

Winners of just two games in February, the ’Backs are having a hard time keeping their heads up with little to play for but pride these days. Shane Hanna and Sean Flanagan have been bright spots on the blueline the forward group could use a jolt and Morgan Zulinick is off to Wisconsin after this season.

Trail Smoke Eaters

There’s no question the Smokies have been a more competitive bunch the last month or so with 20-year-old leaders Clayton McEwan and Erik Cooper providing a good example for the club. With the playoffs out of reach, the last few weeks are a time for Tanner Clarkson, Brent Baltus, Brandon Long and Marley Keca to set the tone for next season.

Vernon Vipers

The Vipers did well with the February schedule winning six of the first nine games they played in the month. How they close the season, with five of seven games on the road, will determine if they get into the playoffs or not. After a nice rookie season, Michael Zalewski is now a legitimate star player with 33 goals and 34 assists on the season.

Westside Warriors

Another team holding auditions for roles for next season, the BCHL’s youngest club has seen nice production lately from David Pope and Shawn Hochhausen. Goalie Dwayne Rodrigue graduates this year so the crease needs to be addressed for next season. The young defence corps has received valuable ice time this year which should pay off.