BCEHL WEEKEND UPDATE - FEBRUARY 8-12
For Immediate Release
February 8, 2023
Saanichton, B.C. - In a busy week across the BCEHL, 24 teams will take the ice across the province. Let's take a look at what's happening around the BCEHL.
Female U18 AAA
In this week’s lone Female U18 matchup, the undefeated Fraser Valley Rush (26-0-0-0) welcome the third-place Thompson-Okanagan Lakers (12-11-1-2) for two games at Langley Twin Rinks. Having scored an average of 5.69 goals per game this season, the Rush lineup features seven skaters (Leah Barnard Aynsley D’Ottavio, Vienna Rubin, Anna McKee, Erica Barnard, Hannah Dods, Solana Cooper) who have scored at a point-per-game pace or better. In goal, the tandem of Rebecca Noble and Clara Juca have combined to allow only one goal per game on the season and have totaled eight shutouts collectively. The Lakers enter this week looking to continue their winning ways after they picked up a pair of key victories against the Vancouver Island Seals last weekend. Goals from Alexandra Recsky, Sage Barstow and Calleja Misson guided Thompson-Okanagan to a 3-1 victory in the first matchup, while Chelsea West posted a shutout in a 2-0 Lakers victory in game two on February 5th.
Saturday’s Female U18 Game
Thompson-Okanagan Lakers @ Fraser Valley Rush – 12:30 p.m. – Langley Twin Rinks
Sunday’s Female U18 Game
Thompson-Okanagan Lakers @ Fraser Valley Rush – 8:45 a.m. – Langley Twin Rinks
Watch All Female U18 Games Live Here
U18 AAA
Kicking off a three-game week for both teams, the fifth-place Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (16-13-1-0) take on the sixth-place Valley West Giants (14-13-0-2) on Wednesday night. Fraser Valley split a two-game series against the Okanagan Rockets last weekend. The Thunderbirds’ earned a 6-4 victory in the first matchup, helped by three-point performances from Lachlan Staniforth (1g-2a) and Tyler Pretty (1g-2a), along with a five-point game from Brendan Ruskowski (3g-2a). Ruskowski’s offensive display propelled the Fraser Valley forward to a league-leading 53 points (18g-35a) on the season. Trailing the Thunderbirds by only three points in the standings, this game serves as an opportunity for the Giants to climb the standings in the final stretch of the regular season. In two games against Fraser Valley this season, Miles Burgin (2g-2a), Tomas Isaak (1g-3a), and Mykhaylo Sheludchenko (1g-3a) have all found success, with four points each.
Following Wednesday’s contest, the Giants travel to Kelowna to take on the second-place Okanagan Rockets (20-5-2-1). The Rockets continue their pursuit of the top spot in the standings after splitting a two-game series against the Fraser Valley last weekend. Erik Pastro recorded a third-period hat trick in a 6-4 loss during the first matchup, while a pair of goals from Nathan Gossoo helped the Rockets bounce back in the second game with a 8-2 victory. Against a potent Valley West offense that has averaged over five goals per game this season, Okanagan will look to their goaltenders, Colton Jugnauth and Dylan Adams, to cool them down as they’ve combined to allow 2.50 goals per game this season, which is the second lowest among all U18 teams.
The fourth-place Vancouver NE Chiefs (16-9-3-2) host Fraser Valley for two games on Saturday and Sunday. The Chiefs have earned victories in three of their last four games, which included a pair of 3-2 overtime wins over the Cariboo Cougars last weekend. The Chiefs were helped to those victories by Josh Kelly (2g-1a), James Eagle (1g-2a), Jonah Power-Smith (1g-2a) and Lucas Baxter (0g-3a), who each had three-point weekends.
Wednesday’s U18 Game
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds @ Valley West Giants – 7:00 p.m. – Langley Events Centre
Thursday’s U18 Game
Vancouver NW Hawks @ Greater Vancouver Canadians – 7:45 p.m. – Richmond Olympic Oval
Friday’s U18 Game
North Island Silvertips @ Cariboo Cougars – 6:30 p.m. – West Fraser Centre
Saturday’s U18 Games
Cariboo Cougars @ North Island Silvertips – 9:00 a.m. – Kin Centre
North Island Silvertips @ Cariboo Cougars – 4:15 p.m. – Kin Centre
Valley West Giants @ Okanagan Rockets – 5:45 p.m. – Capital News Centre
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds @ Vancouver NE Chiefs – 7:30 p.m. – Planet Ice Coquitlam
Sunday’s U18 Games
Cariboo Cougars @ North Island Silvertips – 8:15 a.m. – Kin Centre
Valley West Giants @ Okanagan Rockets – 10:00 a.m. – Capital News Centre
Vancouver NE Chiefs @ Fraser Valley Thunderbirds – 3:45 p.m. – Abbotsford Centre
U17 AAA
The fifth-place Valley West Giants (17-9-2-3) and the eighth-place Vancouver NE Chiefs (10-15-3-2) meet in a home-and-home series. With only two points separating the second-place and fifth-place teams in the U17 league, a successful weekend would help Valley West make a climb in the standings. In their last game, the Giants earned a 4-3 overtime victory against the Okanagan Rockets. Ryder Marks found the back of the net for Valley West in the extra frame, which boosted his goal total to 18 on the season, which is tied with Devon Mahil for first among all Giants’ skaters. The Chiefs will look to continue their strong recent play, as they’ve posted a record of 4-1-1-0 over their last six games. Callum McSherry led the way in scoring during that span, as he totaled 11 points (5g-6a). On the season, McSherry has posted 31 points (17g-14a) and is one of five Chiefs’ skaters who has scored at a point-per-game pace, along with Maximillian Aysslinger, Agam Rawan, Ritchie Riumin and Brayden Yee.
The second-place Okanagan Rockets (19-9-2-1) and the third-place Vancouver NW Hawks (18-9-2-2) meet in a matchup of two teams separated by only one point in the standings. Winners of four straight games, the Hawks earned back-to-back shutout victories on February 3rd and 4th against the South Island Royals and the North Island Silvertips, with goaltenders Matthew Bowman and Tyler Holtz having earned one each. The two netminders have combined to allow only 86 goals on the season, which is the second-lowest total among all U17 teams. Okanagan has also been in good form as of late, with five victories over their last seven games. Rockets’ defender Kaden Woodcox has posted 10 points (1g-9a) over his last six games. Woodcox’s 28 points (5g-23a) rank second among all U17 defenders, trailing only Hawks’ defender Max Kelly (10g-19a).
On the Island, the league-leading Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (24-5-1-1) meet the 10th place North Island Silvertips (0-30-1-0). Jake Torget picked up his league-leading 15th win on the season in their most recent game against the Vancouver NE Chiefs on February 6th. Torget’s impressive numbers go beyond his win total, as he also ranks first among all U17 goaltenders in goals against average (1.60) and shutouts (4). With four goals and eight points in his last four games, Fraser Valley forward Noah Weinberger’s goal total on the season sits at 19, which leads the team and is tied for fourth among all U17 skaters.
Saturday’s U17 Games
Valley West Giants @ Vancouver NE Chiefs – 3:30 p.m. – Scotia Barn
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds @ North Island Silvertips – 4:45 p.m. – Frank Crane Arena
Okanagan Rockets @ Vancouver NW Hawks – 5:15 p.m. – Hollyburn Country Club
Sunday’s U17 Games
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds @ North Island Silvertips – 11:15 a.m. – Fuller Lake Arena
Okanagan Rockets @ Vancouver NW Hawks – 12:00 p.m. – Harry Jerome Rec Centre
Vancouver NE Chiefs @ Valley West Giants – 5:30 p.m. – Planet Ice Delta
U15 AAA
The first-place Vancouver NE Chiefs (18-5-2-0) take on the eighth-place North Island Silvertips (3-25-0-0) in a pair of contests on the Island. The Chiefs earned three victories and a tie at last weekend’s U15 showcase in Richmond. Forwards Christiano D’Addabbo (5g-0a) and Charlie Robinson (4g-1a) both registered five points during the showcase, while the tandem of Maverick Bell and Sante Bove combined to allow only five goals across their four games. Silvertips’ forward Westin Churchill recorded six points (4g-2a) in four games during the showcase, which included a four-goal performance in North Island’s 6-2 victory over the Thompson Blazers on Friday.
The fifth-place Fraser Valley Thunderbirds (13-7-2-1) and the sixth-place Vancouver NW Hawks (12-13-0-1) meet in a series between two teams battling for positioning in the standings. Across Fraser Valley’s four games at the showcase where they posted a record of 2-1-1-0, forward Deegan Holding recorded nine points (6g-3a), including a hat trick on Sunday in an 8-2 victory. After a successful weekend, the Thunderbirds’ captain ranks third in league scoring with 35 points (17g-18a). As a team, the Hawks allowed only three goals in four games at the showcase. Tyson Liu posted a 19-save shutout on Friday in a 1-0 victory over the Valley West Giants.
Saturday's U15 Games
Thompson Blazers @ Okanagan Rockets – 3:00 p.m. – Capital News Centre
Vancouver NE Chiefs @ North Island Silvertips – 3:05 p.m. - Fuller Lake Arena
Valley West Giants @ Cariboo Cougars – 7:00 p.m. – Kin Centre
Fraser Valley Thunderbirds @ Vancouver NW Hawks – 8:00 p.m. – Hollyburn Country Club
Sunday's U15 Games
Vancouver NE Chiefs @ North Island Silvertips – 9:30 a.m. – Oceanside Place Arena
Valley West Giants @ Cariboo Cougars – 11:00 a.m. – Kin Centre
Vancouver NW Hawks @ Fraser Valley Thunderbirds – 1:00 p.m. – Abbotsford Centre
Okanagan Rockets @ Thompson Blazers – 3:45 p.m. – Kamloops Memorial Arena
If you can’t make it out the games you can stream all BCEHL games live at: www.playfullscreen.com.
To stay up to date on everything going on in the BCEHL visit the website to view schedules, standings, stats, and scores: BCEHL.net, follow @BCEHL on Twitter, @BCEHL_AAA on Instagram, and join the conversation by using #BCEHLAAAHOCKEY.
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