CALGARY, Alta. – As the quest for the RBC Cup begins in earnest with the 10 members of the Canadian Junior Hockey League getting set to commence, or are near the start of their league playoffs, we’ll offer some league-by-league postseason insight.
Here’s a look at the BCHL.
POWERFUL PENTICTON: With the BCHL’s regular season having ended, perennial power, the Penticton Vees claimed yet another first-place finish in the overall-17-team standings while also averaging a record of over 3,000 fans per home game.
This marks the13th consecutive campaign that the Vees having won 35 or more games during the course of regular season.
TOP SCORER: Garnering the Brett Hull Trophy as the BCHL’s leading scorer was Wenatchee Wild forward Jasper Weatherby.
The 20-year-old Lummi Island, Wash., native supplied 37 goals and as many assists for 74 points while skating in all 58 games for the Wild in 2017-18.
Weatherby is committed to attend the University of North Dakota on scholarship next season.
TOP NETMINDERS: Earning the league’s Wally Forslund Trophy for best combined goals-against average was the Vernon Vipers’ duo of Ty Taylor and Anthony Yamnitsky.
They paired up to post a 1.98 average while almost evenly sharing duties between the pipes.
Taylor, a University of New Hampshire commitment in 2019-20, and Yamnitsky are the first tandem, not from Penticton, to earn the Forslund Trophy since 2012.
PLAYOFFS: The BCHL’s Fred Page Cup playoffs begin Thursday as the first of eight best-of-seven match-ups get underway.
Here’s an opponent breakdown of each of the first-round playoff series.
Chilliwack vs. Prince George: The Spruce Kings were 16 points ahead of the Chiefs in the Mainland Division, but each club had 170 goals.
Surrey vs. Langley: Only one point separated the Eagles and Chiefs in another Mainland Division meeting.
Alberni Valley vs. Victoria: The Grizzlies are big favourites vs. the Bulldogs in this Island Division match-up. Victoria boasted 15 more wins and 29 additional points in the standings.
Powell River vs. Nanaimo: It was close between the Clippers and Kings as they finished just two points apart in the Island Division.
Coquitlam vs. Penticton: No. 1 seed Penticton meets No. 16 Coquitlam. 48 points divided the two clubs, with the Vees being big favourites and their league-best .741 winning percentage.
Wenatchee vs. Merritt: The Wild boasted 13 more triumphs than the Centennials as they prepare to begin their best-of-seven Thursday. Wenatchee topped the BCHL in goals scored with 241.
Salmon Arm vs. Vernon: The Vipers were second overall in the BCHL while the Silverbacks were 14th. Vernon enters the series having allowed the fewest goals against in league play at 118.
West Kelowna vs. Trail: The Warriors won the RBC Cup back in 2016 and are looking for another strong playoff run as they tangle with the Smoke Eaters, who had the second highest tally total in the league at 218.
DID YOU KNOW: Since 1990 BCHL clubs have gone on to win 11 RBC Cup Canadian National Jr. A Championships.
Vernon, B.C. (Lakers & Vipers) has won a record six national titles in that span.
NATIONALLY RANKED: Earning national recognition in the most recent CJHL Top 20 Rankings was a pair of BCHL squads.
The defending league champion Penticton Vees were slotted 12th in the 132-team CJHL while the Vernon Vipers picked up an Honourable Mention nod.
RBC CUP: The BCHL is guaranteed to have at least one team from their league competing in this May’s RBC Cup Canadian Junior A Championship.
The Chilliwack Chiefs while host the five-team event at Prospera Centre from May 12-20.
You can get all the latest information on the 2018 RBC Cup by visiting the championship website at hockeycanada.ca/rbccup or via social media on Twitter @HC_RBCCup or facebook.com/RBCCup.
FINAL REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
| ISLAND |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
T |
PTS |
| Victoria Grizzlies |
58 |
32 |
18 |
4 |
4 |
72 |
| Nanaimo Clippers |
58 |
32 |
20 |
3 |
3 |
70 |
| Powell River Kings |
58 |
29 |
19 |
6 |
4 |
68 |
| Alberni Valley Bulldogs |
58 |
17 |
32 |
5 |
4 |
43 |
| Cowichan Valley Capitals |
58 |
10 |
41 |
5 |
2 |
27 |
| INTERIOR |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
T |
PTS |
| Penticton Vees |
58 |
40 |
12 |
3 |
3 |
86 |
| Vernon Vipers |
58 |
39 |
14 |
1 |
4 |
83 |
| Wenatchee Wild |
58 |
37 |
16 |
4 |
1 |
79 |
| Trail Smoke Eaters |
58 |
32 |
21 |
4 |
1 |
69 |
| West Kelowna Warriors |
58 |
28 |
27 |
2 |
1 |
59 |
| Merritt Centennials |
58 |
24 |
27 |
5 |
2 |
55 |
| Salmon Arm Silverbacks |
58 |
25 |
29 |
3 |
1 |
54 |
| MAINLAND |
GP |
W |
L |
OTL |
T |
PTS |
|
Prince George Spruce Kings |
58 |
33 |
17 |
4 |
4 |
74 |
| Langley Rivermen |
58 |
25 |
20 |
10 |
3 |
63 |
| Surrey Eagles |
58 |
26 |
22 |
8 |
2 |
62 |
| Chilliwack Chiefs |
58 |
26 |
26 |
3 |
3 |
58 |
| Coquitlam Express |
58 |
15 |
38 |
1 |
4 |
35 |
LEADING SCORERS
| PLAYER | POS | Team | GP | G | A | PTS |
| Jasper Weatherby | F | WEN | 58 | 37 | 37 | 74 |
| Ty Westgard | F | SUR | 56 | 15 | 55 | 70 |
| Jamie Rome | F | VIC | 55 | 22 | 47 | 69 |
| Cooper Zech | D | WEN | 58 | 11 | 58 | 69 |
| John Wesley | F | SUR | 56 | 37 | 31 | 68 |
LEADING GOALTENDERS
Name Team GP W L OTL/T GAA SV% SO
Ty Taylor VER 31 23 5 3 1.87 0.931 7
Adam Scheel PEN 45 29 12 3 2.08 0.927 3
Anthony Yamnitsky VER 27 16 10 1 2.11 0.919 3
Evan DeBrouwer PG 45 26 14 4 2.24 0.920 3
Austin Roden MER 29 12 11 3 2.40 0.931 2