Team Sites
Follow the BCHL
BCHL

Shaw BCHL Playoff Recap: Apr. 2

Nanaimo Clippers – 7
Surrey Eagles – 4

Jérémie Payant and Kai Daniells had two goals each and Sean Donaldson had a goal and two assists as the Nanaimo Clippers took Game 2 of their first round series by a score of 7-4 over the Surrey Eagles to take a 2-0 series lead.

Early on, it was clear this game would be a high-scoring contest. Buddy Johnson scored for Surrey 4:31 into the game, but Nanaimo replied immediately with three straight goals, one by Donaldson and two by Payant, to make it 3-1 heading into the break. The teams traded goals throughout the second period, with Cole Hanson and Daniells scoring for the Clippers and Jacob Bonkowski and Grayden Slipec for the Eagles, to make it 5-3 after two. Bonkowski scored again for Surrey late in the third to cut it to a one-goal game, but Daniells killed any chances of a comeback with his second of the game shortly after and Brody Waters sealed it with an empty-netter.

Surrey actually outshot Nanaimo in this one by a 42-30 margin, but Clippers goalie Cooper Black limited the damage, making 38 saves.

The series now shifts to Surrey where the Eagles will hope to get back into the series on home ice. Game 3 goes Monday night.

Salmon Arm Silverbacks – 6
Wenatchee Wild – 3

The Salmon Arm Silverbacks got three-point performances from Simon Tassy and Noah Serdachny, while throwing 39 shots on net in a 6-3 win over the Wenatchee Wild in Game 1 of their first-round series. The Wild built a 2-0 lead in the second period, but the Silverbacks scored three straight to take the advantage. Wenatchee tied things up, but Zack Smith’s goal late in the middle frame held up as the winner. Ean Somoza had a goal and an assist for the Wild in a losing effort. Game 2 is tomorrow evening.

Coquitlam Express – 5
Chilliwack Chiefs – 2

Defenceman Luke Vardy scored twice and Carter Woodside stopped 37 of 39 shots in a 5-2 Coquitlam Express victory over the Chilliwack Chiefs in Game 2 of their first-round series. With the game tied at one in the first period, Vardy’s point shot found its way by Chiefs goalie Grant Riley to put the Express up by one, which was a lead they would never relinquish. With the score 3-2 to start the third period, another Vardy point shot found the back of the net to give Coquitlam a two-goal lead. Mateo Mrsic had both Chilliwack goals, but the Chiefs were shutout after the first period. With the series knotted up 1-1, Game 3 goes Monday night in Coquitlam.

West Kelowna Warriors – 5
Vernon Vipers – 3

Five different West Kelowna Warriors players had multi-point nights, including Tyler Cristall who score two goals and Charles-Alexis Legault who contributed three assists, as the Warriors responded to a Game 1 loss by beating the Vernon Vipers 5-3 in Game 2. John Evans, Marcus Joughin and Nick Roukounakis scored the other goals for West Kelowna who went 2/2 with the man advantage. Reagan Milburn had a pair of goals for Vernon in the loss. Game 3 of this series is Monday night in Vernon.

Victoria Grizzlies – 8
Langley Rivermen – 3

Eight different Victoria Grizzlies players scored a goal, including Devon de Vries who added two assists to finish with a game-high three points as the Grizzlies beat the Langley Rivermen 8-3 to even up their first-round series. The Rivermen opened the scoring in this one, but Victoria would score five unanswered goals after that, leading to the convincing win. Cole Schwebius got his second straight start of the postseason in net for Victoria and he stopped 31 of 34 shots to earn the victory. With the series tied 1-1, Game 3 is set for Tuesday night in Victoria.

Prince George Spruce Kings – 4
Cranbrook Bucks – 1

Kolton Cousins scored two goals, Luc Laylin contributed a goal and an assist and Aaron Trotter stopped 23 of 24 shots in a 4-1 win by the Prince George Spruce Kings over the Cranbrook Bucks, giving them a 2-0 series lead. Cousins and Nick Rhéaume got the scoring started in the second period, but Cranbrook cut into the lead on a Tyson Dyck goal to make it 2-1 after two. Laylin stretched the PG lead back to two in the third and Cousins finished it off with an empty netter. Down 2-0 in the series, the scene shifts back to Cranbrook where the Bucks will look to get back into things in front of their home crowd.

Alberni Valley Bulldogs – 3
Cowichan Valley Capitals – 1

Brandon Buhr scored twice in a game where the Alberni Valley Bulldogs outshot the Cowichan Valley Capitals 40-12 and hung on to win 3-1 and sweep the first two games of the series at home. Buhr scored once in the first and another in the second to make it 2-0 after two. Massimo Sarantos-Lombardi got the Caps back into the game with a third-period goal, but Nicholas Beneateau iced it with an empty-net goal late in the frame. Alberni goalie Hobie Hedquist only needed to make 11 saves to get the win. Game 3 goes Tuesday in Duncan.