BCHL Team Reports: Playoffs Are Nearing
January 10, 2013
Posted in BC Edition, Junior A
By / Brent Mutis
The BCHL stretch run lies ahead and there are less than 20 games to go for some teams.
The Victoria Grizzlies have the strongest hold on first place with a nine-point edge on Alberni Valley in the Island Division.
There should be some good races for second through fourth place across the league with home ice advantage on the line.
The race for the Brett Hull Trophy (top scorer) will be fun to watch with Mario Puskarich of Langley currently leading the pack.
INTERIOR DIVISION
Penticton Vees
Getting Mike Rebry back will be a big help to the offence after he missed all of November and most of December. He’s produced points in each of his three games since returning. The Vees look mortal this season but still boast two top-10 scorers in Wade Murphy and Sam Mellor and a mobile defence led by Troy Stecher.
Merritt Centennials
If there is anyone that could possibly catch Penticton, it’s their rivals from Merritt and the Cents have three games in hand on the Vees. This has grown into one of the best rivalries in the league with the recent improvement of the Cents’ program and they play head-to-head three more times. Regan Soquila has six goals in his last three games.
Salmon Arm SilverBacks
Alex Gillies’ amped-up offensive game recently allowed him to overtake Shane Hanna for the team scoring lead. The ’Backs are 6-2 in their last eight games and have placed a firmer grasp on the final playoff spot with three games in had on Trail who are just behind them. If Carter Lukenda can add some scoring punch, it would be a big boost.
Trail Smoke Eaters
Brent Baltus hasn’t played since Dec. 7 and the Smokies have gone 2-3 in that time. Bennett Hambrook’s reliability has been welcome on the back end since he arrived from Salmon Arm and he’s managed six points after going pointless with the ’Backs. Rookie Scott Davidson is now into what will be his longest-ever hockey season and will need to be managed properly.
Vernon Vipers
It’s odd to see the Vipers sitting in sixth place in the Interior after all the success the franchise has enjoyed. They’re also now the lowest-scoring team in the BCHL with just 84 goals in 35 games. A 15th-ranked powerplay and 14th-ranked penalty kill bring little relief. Forward Adam Tambellini and goalie Austin Smith continue to be bright spots.
West Kelowna Warriors
Consecutive losses to Salmon Arm heading into the Christmas break made the Tribe a motivated bunch upon returning and they earned a big win over Penticton the first night back. Seb Lloyd has points in 15 of his last 16 games and has only been held scoreless three times on the season.
MAINLAND DIVISION
Chilliwack Chiefs
The loss of Josh Hansen, injured Dec. 5 in a loss to Coquitlam, has left a void up front by Trevor Hills has done a pretty good job of picking up the slack with nine points in his last six. The Chiefs cling to the narrowest of division leads, just a point up on Surrey who are charging hard.
Coquitlam Express
Philip Zielonka’s 12-game goal scoring streak and 19-game point streak came to an end Dec. 30 as the Express were shut-out by Surrey. More bad news is it appears Alex Kerfoot is out until the end of the season with a shoulder injury. John Siemer is in the hunt for the league scoring lead however.
Langley Rivermen
Mario Puskarich can be a one-man wrecking crew and some nights it’s enough to put the Rivermen over the top but this club could use more production from the blueline for support. Hopefully Aaron Dolby can recover sooner than expected from a broken thumb to bolster the blueline corps.
Prince George Spruce Kings
Mitch Eden is now the only defenceman leading his team in scoring but if youngsters Jace Hennig and Tanner Fjellstrom can capitalize on the top-six opportunity they’re seeing, it would be a big boost to this offence. The powerplay, 12th in the league, could use some sprucing up.
Surrey Eagles
Wins in four straight have the Eagles knocking on the Chiefs’ door for first place in the division. The formula of Michael Santaguida’s goaltending, an offence led by Brady Shaw and Michael Stenerson and a blueline boosted by the recent acquisition of Troy Paterson has proven tough to beat.
ISLAND DIVISION
Alberni Valley Bulldogs
The ‘Dogs played win-one, lose-one throughout the month of December but will need to find consistency if they are to hold off Nanaimo for home-ice advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. Jay Deo has been busy in net and more support for the ’tender would go a long way.
Cowichan Valley Capitals
A pair of wins to begin the post-Christmas portion of the schedule were encouraging as was the play of goalie Connor Lacouvee who’s inherited the crease with Derek Dun being dealt to Nanaimo. But an 8-1 loss to West Kelowna was a rude reality check for the Island’s fifth-place team. Good news is they have games in hand on the rest of the division.
Nanaimo Clippers
Another team plagued by ineffective special teams, the Clips own the 15th rated penalty kill and 14th-rated powerplay. Bringing in Derek Dun creates a crowd in the crease so it will be interesting to see who secures the job after Jayson Argue carried the load before Christmas.
Powell River Kings
The Kings have 15 wins and 15 losses, 100 goals for and 100 goals against. In order to tilt those stats to the good side, they’ll need more goals from playmaker Evan Richardson. Stephen Hiff, who was very productive in November, needs to return to that pace to give the Kings another offensive weapon.
Victoria Grizzlies
The only team in the Island Division with a positive goal differential, the Grizz are accordingly in first place. Bill Bestwick has done a nice job managing the stellar goalie tandem of Brady Rouleau and Michael Stiliadis. Victoria is the only team in the league with single-digit losses in regulation.
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