The BC Major Midget League hosted their second Showcase Weekend of the 2012-2013 season this past weekend at the Langley Events Centre. The Showcase Weekend saw 10 out of the 11 teams of the Major Midget League come together to play two (2) doubleheaders. The following will provide game update for each of the 10 games.
Greater Vancouver Canadians vs. Cariboo Cougars
In game one (1), the Cariboo Cougars got on the board first with an early goal by Braiden Epp (Prince George), assisted by Logan Styler (Prince George) and Liam Blackburn (Prince George). Just over six (6) minutes into the second period, Blackburn scored the Cougars second goal off a pass from Styler followed by a power play goal from Nick Headrick (Prince George). The Canadians scored their first and only goal just seven (7) seconds into the final period thanks to Sean Gillespie (Vancouver), assisted by Ty Schultz (Vancouver) and Garrett Oliver (Vancouver).
Otis Goldman (Vancouver) opened the scoring for the Canadians mid-way through the first period in game two (2) off a pass from Alec Dawydiak (Richmond). Just over two (2) minutes later, the Cougars answered back when Brad Morrison (Prince George) put one away for his team, assisted by Tre Potskin (Prince George). Less than three (3) minutes into the final period, the Cougars took the lead when Thane Anderson (Prince George) scored an unassisted goal. Shortly after, Glenn Gawdin (Richmond) scored to tie the game for the Canadians.
Vancouver North West Giants vs. Thompson Blazers
The Greater Vancouver Giants showed why they are sitting in first place of the MML standings this weekend with a pairs of wins over the Thompson Blazers. In game one (1), Anthony Conti (North Vancouver) opened the scoring for the Giants when he scored early in the first period off a pass from Jansen Harkins (North Vancouver). Mid-way into the second, Conti scored his second goal for the Giants, again off a pass from Harkins followed by a goal by Connor Pasco (Burnaby), assisted by Quinn Thompson (West Vancouver). The third period saw the Giants score three (3) unanswered goals thanks to David Begert (West Vancouver) and two (2) from Colton Kerfoot (West Vancouver). Thompson, Eric Margo (North Vancouver) and Jackson Cressey (West Vancouver) had the assists.
It was much of the same for the Giants and the Blazers in game two (2). The Giants got on the board first with a late first period goal by Jarid Lukosevicius (North Vancouver), assisted by Harkins and Conti. Just over 30 seconds into the second, Conti scored the Giants second goal with help from Lukosevicius and Harkins. Mid-way through the period, Nicholas Chyzowski (Kamloops) scored an unassisted power play goal to put the Blazers on the board followed by another power play goal by Cole McCaskill (Kamloops) to tie the game. With less than three (3) minutes remaining in the middle period, the Giants scored two (2) goals thanks to Margo and Lukosevicius. The Giants dominated the third period scoring four (4) goals thanks to Brandon Del Grosso (New Westminster), Cole Todd (North Vancouver) and two (2) from Gavin Gould (North Vancouver). Del Gross finished the game with a goal and three (3) assists and Harkins finished the weekend with six (6) assists.ar
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds vs. Okanagan Rockets
Game one (1) was a back and forth battle between the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds and the Okanagan Rockets. The Rockets opened the scoring with a late first period goal by Spencer Hewson (Vernon), assisted by Carter Hikichi (Kelowna) and Cory Santoro (Kelowna). The remaining three (3) goals were all scored early in the third period in less than a minute. Dale Howell (Hope) tied the game up for the Thunderbirds with help from Dylan Kooner (Abbotsford) and Jayden Gilding (Abbotsford). Just 20 seconds later, Hikichi scored the go ahead goal for the Rockets off passes from Liam Finlay (Kelowna) and Josh Blanchard (Kelowna). The Rockets didn’t have the lead for long as the Thunderbirds answered back 17 seconds later thank to a goal by Kyle Lennea (Mission), assisted by Jared Virtanen (Abbotsford) and Nolan Riebalkin (Abbotsford).
In game two (2), the Thunderbirds opened the scoring with two (2) back-to-back goals midway through the second period thanks to Francis Bamford (Abbotsford) and Virtanen. With just over a minute remaining in the period, Santoro put the Rockets on the board with help from Hewson and Gen Bryshun (Kelowna). The Thunderbirds put two (2) more goals on the board in the third to secure their win thanks to Virtanen and Bamford.
Valley West Hawks vs. Kootenay Ice
It was a tough weekend for the struggling Kootenay Ice as they lost both games to the Valley West Hawks. The Hawks took advantage of the Ice’s penalties in the first period, scoring four (4) power play goals thanks to Cole Plotnikoff (Surrey), Spencer Unger (Surrey) and two (2) by Eric Callegari (Langley). Greyson Reitmeier (Nakusp) got the Ice on the board in the first period with an unassisted goal. Less than 30 seconds into the second period, Austin Tambellini (Nelson) scored for the Ice off a pass from Justin Post (Nelson). It was all Hawks after that, scoring three (3) goals in the second period and four (4) in the third. Jakob Stukel (Cloverdale), Josh Pollock (Langley) and Mitch Newsome (Surrey) each scored a goal and Rhett Wilcox (Surrey) and Addison Bazian (Kamloops) each had a pair. The Hawks had five (5) power play goals and three (3) short-handed goals during the game.
Stukel opened the scoring for the Hawks less than a minute into the game thanks to Plotnikoff and Evan Diamantopoulos (White Rock). The Ice answered back quickly with a goal by Tristan Pagura (Kimberley), assisted by Kane Roberts (Castlegar). The Hawks took the lead back in the first period with three (3) unanswered goals by Plotnikoff, Darien Craighead (Surrey) and Jake Fletcher (Surrey). Valley West dominated the second period with five (5) goals thanks to Wilcox, Pollock and three (3) by Plotnikoff. Pagura scored his second goal of the game for the Ice unassisted and on the power play. The Hawks had three (3) more goals in the third period by Wilcox, Craighead and Bazian and the Ice scored once thanks to Tambellini.
Vancouver North East Chiefs vs. North Island Silvertips
Jeffrey Smith earned a shut-out on Saturday when the Vancouver North East Chiefs beat the North Island Silvertips in game one (1) of their double-header. Colton Kehler (Port Coquitlam) opened the scoring early in the first for the Chiefs with help from Tim Chow (Port Coquitlam) and Matthew Barzal (Coquitlam). With less than 40 seconds remaining in the opening period, Barzal scored the Chiefs second goal off passes from Boston Colley (Pitt Meadows) and Chow. The Chiefs scored five (5) goals in the second period thanks to Chow, Barzal, Michael Willms (Coquitlam), Matthew Hermary (Coquitlam) and Jordan Henderson (Coquitlam).
The Chiefs took a quick lead in the opening period of game two (2) scoring a pair of goals by Barzal and Kehler. The Silvertips got on the board just under two (2) minutes into the second thanks to a power play goal by Patrick Bajkov (Nanaimo), assisted by Jordan Topping (Nanaimo). The Chiefs extended their lead with two (2) more goals in the second by Kehler and Henderson. The Silvertips narrowed the gap thanks to goals by Curtis McCarrick (Nanaimo) and Trent Bell (Nanoose Bay) in the final period. Lucas Johansen (Port Moody) scored the Chiefs final goal in the third period, assisted by Barzal and Colley. Barzal proved why he is the MML leader in points with three (3) goals and five (5) assists over the weekend.
The BC Hockey Major Midget League was established in 2004 to provide elite level 15, 16 and 17 year olds an opportunity to play within their own age group at a high level and be developed for the next level of hockey. These teams have an opportunity each year to compete for the National Midget Championship.