The second round of the Shaw BCHL Playoffs begins tomorrow night with all four series playing Game 1. Eight teams are still alive, looking to crown themselves champions. Today, we take a deep dive into all four series.
Coastal Conference
#1 Nanaimo Clippers vs. #5 Chilliwack Chiefs
Head-to-Head:
Nanaimo won the series 3-0-1 with one Clippers win coming in overtime.
Top Playoff Performers:
Nanaimo – F Brody Waters (10 points), F Kai Daniells (9 points), D Michael Craig (5 points), G Shane Shelest (.963 SV%)
Chilliwack – F AJ Lacroix (11 points), D Brian Morse (5 points), G Austin McNicholas (2.90 GAA)
Breakdown:
The Clippers got a bit of a scare in Round 1 when they went down 2-1 to the eighth-seeded Langley Rivermen, but they quickly recovered, winning three straight to close out the series in six games. The turnaround seemed to come when goaltender Shane Shelest took over in net. The 2003-born netminder made his playoff debut in Game 4 and proceeded to win three straight starts and post a playoff high .963 save percentage in the process. On offence, the usual suspects were key factors again for Nanaimo. Brody Waters and Kai Daniells led the way, while they continued to get a solid offensive push from the back end as well.
The Chiefs made relatively quick work of the Coquitlam Express in the first round, beating them in five games, but two of those contests went to overtime, so the series was a bit closer than it may seem. Chilliwack is coming off maybe the most dramatic game of the postseason when they surrendered a two-goal lead in the final two minutes of regulation in Game 5, took an early penalty in overtime, but eventually won the game and the series on a Dylan Kinch goal. Second year forward and 2023 NHL Draft prospect AJ Lacroix has had an excellent postseason so far and is tied for second in playoff scoring with 11 points.
#2 Surrey Eagles vs. #3 Alberni Valley Bulldogs
Head-to-Head:
The teams tied the season series 2-2.
Top Playoff Performers:
Surrey – F Zachary Wagnon (10 points), F Ryden Evers (9 points), D Tate Taylor (8 points), G Michael Sochan (.938 SV%)
Alberni Valley – F Dakota MacIntosh (7 points), F Brandon Buhr (6 points), D Emanuelson Charbonneau (4 points), G Hobie Hedquist (.921 SV%)
Breakdown:
The Eagles topped the Powell River Kings 4-1 in their first-round matchup. After splitting the first two games, Surrey took over and won three straight, including a convincing 8-2 win in the series clinching Game 5 at home. Although they continued to get production from their regular-season point leaders, players like Zachary Wagnon and Ryden Evers stepped up to fill the stat sheet when needed as well. In fact, Wagnon’s 10 points are just two off the playoff lead. There were some questions in net entering the playoffs with Eli Pulver on the shelf with an injury, but Michael Sochan quickly answered them, finishing the first round with a .938 save percentage, fourth best in the league, and also recording his first postseason shutout.
Alberni Valley played the minimum four games in Round 1 after sweeping the Victoria Grizzlies. The Bulldogs, who were a good offensive team during the regular season, took things to another level in the postseason, finishing with the second most goals scored among all teams, despite sweeping their series, averaging 5.75 per game. The team was led by midseason acquisition Dakota MacIntosh who has been a spark for the club since he arrived in November. The Merrimack College commit had four goals and three assists during the series, including a pair of markers in Game 4.
Interior Conference
#1 Penticton Vees vs. #7 Wenatchee Wild
Head-to-Head:
The Vees won the season series 4-1.
Top Playoff Performers:
Penticton – F Bradly Nadeau (11 points), F Josh Nadeau (10 points), F Dovar Tinling (7 points) G Luca Di Pasquo (2.25 GAA)
Wenatchee – F Parker Murray (12 goals), F Ean Somoza (11 points), D David Hejduk (4 points), G Andy Vlaha (.930 SV%)
Breakdown:
The Vees carried their winning ways from the regular season into the playoffs, sweeping the Trail Smoke Eaters 4-0 and averaging seven goals per game in the process. The league’s leading scorer in the regular season Bradly Nadeau also kept things rolling, registering eight goals and 11 points in the four games, both ranking second in the playoffs. His brother Josh also had a strong first round with 10 points. One thing the Wild will want to avoid against the Vees is taking penalties as Penticton owned the top power play in the regular season and operated at a league-best 50 per cent clip in the first round.
On the Wenatchee side, no one has been better this postseason than Parker Murray. The 19-year-old forward scored 12 goals in Wenatchee’s six-game triumph over the Cranbrook Bucks, putting up back-to-back four-goal performances and scoring at least once in each game. He leads the BCHL playoffs in both goals and points. Not to be outdone, his teammate Ean Somoza is just a point back of him and leads the league with 10 assists in the postseason. Another big factor for the Wild has been the play of goaltender Andy Vlaha who was outstanding against Cranbrook, posting a .930 save percentage.
#4 Salmon Arm Silverbacks vs. #6 Vernon Vipers
Head-to-Head:
Vernon won the season series 4-3 with one Vipers win coming in overtime.
Top Playoff Performers:
Salmon Arm – F Nathan Mackie (5 points), F Ethan Ullrick (5 points), D CJ Foley (4 points), G Matthew Tovell (.945 SV%)
Vernon – F Lee Parks (9 points), F Hank Cleaves (6 points), D Dylan Compton (5 points), G Ethan David (.949 SV%)
Breakdown:
The Silverbacks swept the Prince George Spruce Kings in the first round, which came as a bit of a surprise given how even the series looked on paper. It came down to goaltending for Salmon Arm who rode Matthew Tovell and his .945 save percentage and 1.53 goals-against average to victory. His best outing came in Game 4 when he stopped 39 of 40 shots as the Silverbacks scored late in double overtime to clinch the series. Salmon Arm really spread the scoring out in Round 1 with five players notching at least four points and will look to do that again against Vernon.
This series could be quite a goaltending duel with the Vipers countering in net with Ethan David. After getting the start in Game 2, the 19-year-old netminder got back into the crease in midway through Game 3 and has not let it go. Since entering that game, he has won three straight starts with a .978 save percentage, a 0.55 goals-against average and two shutouts as he helped lead the Vipers to a series victory after being down 2-1 in their first round matchup with the West Kelowna Warriors. Vernon’s other playoff hero so far has been forward Lee Parks whose six playoff goals are the third most in the league and his nine points are just three of the league lead.
