By Ryan Pinder /
With most BCHL teams turning over half their roster each season, the ability to re-stock the shelves from year to year is essential. While rookies may look wobbly and timid in the early going, by mid-season, clubs depend on young talent developing to help charge into the post-season. Along with the usual news and notes, here is a look at the first-year players that are making an impact in the Interior Conference (teams are listed by winning percentage at press time).
VERNON VIPERS
The good times keep rolling for the galaxy-leading Vernon Vipers. The club is ranked first in the BCHL in goals for, goals against, wins, winning percentage, home record, road record, powerplay and penalty kill. The team is on pace to set new BCHL records for goals against, wins and points. So much for an RBC hangover. Rookies F – Dylan Walchuck (‘92) and G – Blake Voth (‘91) have been very impressive and represent the future in Vernon.
PENTICTON VEES
Defender Bo Dolan’s (‘90) lower body injury will have the Vees thin on the blueline until his return in January. F – Beau Bennett (‘91) has been on fire since the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge recording eight goals in his first six games back. Bennett leads all rookies in goals, assists, and points. Head Coach and GM Fred Harbinson has never been afraid to make big moves—what has he got up his sleeve for this group that has the most NCAA commitments in Canada?
WESTSIDE WARRIORS
The Warriors are sky-high after handing the Penticton Vees their first consecutive losses of the season on back-to-back nights in mid-November. While the Warriors are a very young team (six players 16- or 17-years-old) the club has made a statement that they won’t be an easy out this year. F - Colton Sissons (‘93) has been effective as a young’un, reminiscent of F – Greyson Downing (‘92) last year as a 16-year-old rookie. This team is getting better with each passing week.
SALMON ARM SILVERBACKS
Defender Matt Ridley (‘90) finds himself with his fourth BCHL team in less than 13 months after being acquired for D – Mike Puddifant (‘91). Ridley has had a tough time staying in the line-up, having played just 43 games over a season and a half in the BCHL. While the Silverbacks needed help on the backend, Ridley will have to stay in the line-up for this to be a step forward. D – Jagger Dirk (‘93) leads all Salmon Arm rooks in scoring.
PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS
The Spruce Kings have a tough road schedule in the second half of the season. The Spruce Kings will play eight in a row away from the Coliseum starting on Dec. 18 and have 15 of their last 23 games on the road. Rookie F – Jeff Earnest (‘91) is the Kings top rookie and has committed to Alaska Fairbanks for the 2011/12 season. This is one of the oldest clubs in the BCHL with just two players under 18.
QUESNEL MILLIONAIRES
The Mills have shaken up the roster in recent weeks in further attempts at adding offence up front. F – Jacob Verheyden (‘90) (previously of Merritt and Burnaby) was brought in from Manitoba, while F – Clayton Chessa (‘91) was added from Surrey. Super heavyweight rookie F – Caitlin BigSnake (‘90) has 30 PIM in seven games played. BigSnake is hard to miss at 6-5 and 275 pounds, and clearly wasn’t brought in from Alberta to spark the powerplay.
TRAIL SMOKE EATERS
The Smokies have finally gotten through their toughest stretch of the schedule and will have two-thirds of their games at home in the second half of the season. If this team has designs on winning a playoff round, they would be wise to avoid an Okanagan team in the opening round (don’t finish in sixth or seventh). F – Sam Mellor (‘92) is having a great season and is second in goals scored by rookies in the BCHL.
MERRITT CENTENNIALS
The brothers Forsythe (Dylan and Tyler) have left Merritt in a cloud of confusion. The tandem were brought in as head coach and GM less than two weeks before training camp was set to begin and are now gone just 28 games into the season. The move means the Cents are on their third coaching regime since missing the playoffs last season. Rookie netminders Cole Holowenko (‘93) and Andrew Hamilton (‘92) have seen more rubber than an interstate highway as they’ve faced over 40 shots per game.
WILLIAMS LAKE TIMBERWOLVES
Speaking of teams changing coaches, the T-wolves have now seen part Owner John Wright hand the reigns to his son and two other former BCHLers, representing the fourth different arrangement in the coach’s office since the club’s reincarnation in the Cariboo. F – Trent Murdoch (‘91) is nearly at a point per game as a rookie. |