By Adam Dunfee /
The BC Major Midget League’s best gathered in Kelowna Jan. 15 for the 2010 MML All-Star Game. The game ended in a 6-6 tie thanks to Team Blue defenseman Alex Roach who scored with 1:05 remaining in the third to even the game. Roach was also the winner of the hardest shot competition after whistling a slapshot at a speed of 96 mph. Evan Richardson won the fastest skater competition in a time of 14.17 seconds. In the breakaway challenge, Justin Georgeson was the top shooter while Marcus Beesley was the top goaltender.
Here’s a look around the league.
CARIBOO COUGARS
Cariboo Cougars coach Trevor Sprague called it the Mac’s hangover. After competing at the Mac’s AAA Midget Tournament over the Christmas break, the Cougars returned to league play and thumped the Kootenay Ice, 6-1. But in the second game of the weekend series, the Ice pulled out a surprising 6-4 victory. By next week, the hangover had worn off as the Cougars beat the Greater Vancouver Canadians 5-2 and tied them, 2-2. After Weekend 17, the Cougars are one-point back of the Canadians for top spot in the MML but have two games in hand.
FRASER VALLEY BRUINS
It took four tries but the Fraser Valley Bruins finally got their first win of 2010 thanks to a Weekend 16 victory over the Vancouver North East Chiefs. The Bruins trail the North Island Silvertips by nine points for the last playoff spot after Weekend 17.
GREATER VANCOUVER CANADIANS
The Greater Vancouver Canadians have a big hole to fill in their lineup as Pearce Eviston has been called up to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. In 28 games for the Canadians this season, Eviston had 34 points. To make up for the loss, Coach Leland Mack says players such as Ryan Olsen and Brodyn Nielsen will need to step up to try and fill the offensive void. In the four games the Canadians have played without Eviston, they’re 0-3-1. Despite their recent struggles after Weekend 17, the Canadians remained on top of the MML standings.
KOOTENAY ICE
The New Year has been kind to the Kootenay Ice. The Ice opened up 2010 by going 3-2-1 and coach Brent Petrick says the success has come because the players have now fully bought into his system, which calls for simple plays executed at high speed. The Ice have also managed to keep themselves out of the penalty box going from the second most penalized team in the league last season to the least penalized so far this season.
NORTH ISLAND SILVERTIPS
The North Island Silvertips ended Weekend 17 with a 3-2 loss to the Cariboo Cougars that pushed their losing streak to three games. Thanks to the slide, the Valley West Hawks have been able to catch the Silvertips and sit tied with them for the last playoff spot after Weekend 17, but the Silvertips have two games in hand.
OKANAGAN ROCKETS
Christmas was anything but a break for the Okanagan Rockets. Between the Mac’s AAA Midget Tournament and the Kelowna International Major Midget Tournament, the Rockets played nine games over the so-called break. At the Mac’s tournament, the Rockets went 3-1 in round robin play but didn’t qualify for the playoff round. In the Kelowna tournament, the Rockets beat the Waterloo Wolves 5-1 in the final to take home the tournament title.
SOUTH ISLAND THUNDERBIRDS
The South Island Thunderbirds have yet to find the win column in 2010 and after Weekend 17, sit dead last in the MML with 13 points in 30 games.
THOMPSON BLAZERS
The Thompson Blazers were only able to collect one win in six games in January and are battling to stay out of the league basement. The Blazers have 14 points through 32 games this season and sit one point ahead of the last place South Island Thunderbirds after Weekend 17.
VALLEY WEST HAWKS
The Valley West Hawks’ revolving door roster has appeared to come to a stop. The Hawks’ three suspended players – Stephen Campbell, Mark Whiteley and Mak Barden – had their suspensions overturned but Campbell and Whiteley went up to play Junior B hockey with the Delta Ice Hawks. Captain Mark Jordan is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery and affiliate player Tyler Basham will join the team full-time to take his spot. Mitch Guiel is also out for the season. Despite all the turnover, the Hawks have had a good start to 2010, going unbeaten in their first six games and sit tied for the last playoff spot after Weekend 17.
VANCOUVER NORTH EAST CHIEFS
The Vancouver North East Chiefs opened up 2010 with a 10-3 loss to the Valley West Hawks. The score was a little misleading as coach Doneau Menard pulled his goaltender for a sizeable portion of the third period in an effort to try and get his skaters to work harder. The move worked as the Chiefs went 3-1-1 in their next five games and have a five-point lead over the sixth place North Island Silvertips for the last playoff spot after Weekend 17.
VANCOUVER NORTH WEST GIANTS
The Vancouver North West Giants opened up the 2010 portion of their MML season by sweeping the Fraser Valley Bruins in their Weekend 15 matchup. The Giants ran into a roadblock on Weekend 17 though, in the form of the Valley West Hawks who beat and tied the Giants in their two-game set. After Weekend 17, the Giants sit in third place in the MML standings. |