BCHL Today: Prince George avoids elimination with game five win

Welcome to the March 23, 2018 edition of BCHL Today, a (near) daily look at what鈥檚 going on around the league and the junior A world.

Just one game in the league last night, but it was an interesting result as Prince George staved off elimination with a 4-1 home ice win over Surrey.

The Eagles may be up 3-2 in this series, but Saturday night鈥檚 game six in Surrey is massively important because the Eagles have proven they can鈥檛 get much done in the claustrophobic confines of the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.

Surrey has been outscored 15-5 in three PG games, getting outshot 51-15, 48-19 and 37-19 and if not for Mario Cavaliere鈥檚 heroic netminding in game two this series would be 3-2 for the Spruce Kings.

HIGHLIGHT: WHAT A SAVE! 馃槺 gave everyone in attendance another look at some magic with this sprawling effort late in the third period.
鈥� Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles)

The other side of the coin is the Eagles winning games three and four at the South Surrey Arena by scores of 5-1 and 4-0. It鈥檚 clear that Surrey can generate offence against Prince George鈥檚 stifling system if they鈥檙e given a bit more skating space, which makes game six a must win.

If the Eagles can鈥檛 eliminate the Spruce Kings on home ice they鈥檒l have to travel to PG for game seven on Sunday and you鈥檇 have to figure they鈥檙e done.

Desi Burgart was the lone Surrey skater to slip a puck past Prince George goalie Evan DeBrouwer Thursday, collecting his league-leading 10th of the playoffs on a power play midway through period three.

HIGHLIGHT: Chalk another one up for ! His 10th goal of the post-season pulled the Eagles within three late in the third period.
鈥� Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles)

Dustin Manz, Patrick Cozzi, Kyle Johnson and Blake Hayward beat Cavaliere, with Johnson adding two helpers for a three point night. The Spruce Kings struck twice on five power play chances.

While this series takes a break tonight, the other three series are back in action as Penticton hosts Trail, Vernon hosts Wenatchee and Victoria hosts Powell River.

All are 7 p.m. starts.

Side note: You鈥檒l see me talking about horrible hockey nicknames a lot. Credit to the Eagles for dubbing goalie Mario Cavaliere 鈥楽uper Mario.鈥� As huge a fan of retro gaming, I can get behind this.

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It鈥檚 been a busy week for former Powell River Kings turning pro.

I talked in a previous column about Ryan Scarfo signing with the American Hockey League鈥檚 Belleville Senators, and he now has two games under his belt. Scarfo collected no points or penalty minutes in games against the Toronto Marlies and Utica Comets. The Senators are back in action tonight, hosting the Marlies.

Meanwhile, Braeden Ostepchuk has signed an amateur tryout agreement with the ECHL鈥檚 Greenville Swamp Rabbits and debuted last Saturday. His first minor-pro outing wasn鈥檛 great. The goaltender allowed five goals on 39 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Norfolk Admirals.

Ostepchuk tended net for Powell River during the 2012-13 season before heading on to four seasons with the NCAA Div-III Norwich University Cadets. According to the Powell River alumni report compiled by Kings radio colour man Zach Evans, Ostepchuk compiled a record of 51-12-3 with a .924 Save Percentage, a 1.79 goals-against average and 12 shutouts during his time at Norwich U. He also won a national championship in 2017, and was named the team captain this past year.

One more as Luke Nogard has inked an amateur tryout agreement with the ECHL鈥檚 Toledo Walleyes and has played in three games. The forward debuted last Friday against the Quad City Mallards and collected his first minor-pro point two nights later, collecting an assist in a 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Nogard spent two seasons (2012-14) with Powell River before moving on to four years at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Yesterday鈥檚 column included video of Tyler Ghirardosi鈥檚 epic goal in game four versus the Penticton Vees.

.'s goal is getting *almost* as much air time as Scheel's water bottle! In addition to TSN, Sports featured the goal right after NHL highlights! !
鈥� Trail Smoke Eaters (@BCHLSmokeEaters)

Video of that goal has gone viral, appearing on Global TV and hitting the radar of TSN hockey guys Bob McKenzie and Ray Ferraro. In a tweet fest yesterday, something was pointed out that I completely missed the first time watching it. Ghirardosi finishes with a shot under the crossbar that knocks the water bottle of Penticton netminder Adam Scheel up in the air.

Waaaaaaaaay up in the air.

Look at the height on the water bottle.
鈥� BC Hockey League (@bchllive)

A big weekend of NCAA Div-I action starts tomorrow.

No. 1 ranked St. Cloud State takes on unranked Air Force in an NCAA West Regional semi-final at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

This game features five BCHL grads.

The St. Cloud roster includes Jeff Smith (Powell River), Patrick Newell (Penticton) and Easton Brodzinski (Penticton) while Army counters with Billy Christopoulos (Alberni Valley) and Matthew Serratore (Penticton).

You鈥檝e got No. 2 ranked Notre Dame versus No. 18 Michigan Tech in an East Regional semi-final at the Webster Bank Arena in Brideport, Connecticut.

The Fighting Irish bring Tony Bretzman (Langley), Bo Brauer (Nanaimo) and Luke Ripley (Powell River) into battle.

More than half (12) of the Michigan Tech roster is BCHL grads, a list that includes: Brent Baltus (Trail), Alex Gillies (Salmon Arm), Mason Blacklock (Langley/Nanaimo/Surrey/Vernon), Evan Anderson (Salmon Arm), Devin Kero (Merritt), Dane Birks (Merritt), Jake Jackson (Nanaimo), Jake Lucchini (Trail), Gavin Gould (Merritt), Mitch Meek (Victoria/Vernon/Cowichan Valley/Penticton), Tyler Rockwell (Wenatchee) and Cooper Watson (Vernon).

No. 6 Minnesota State faces No. 11 Minnesota-Duluth in a West Regional semi-final at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Minnesota-Duluth has just one BCHL grad on the roster, Jarod Hilderman (Penticton). The Mavericks counter with four BCHL alums, Brad McClure (Penticton), Connor LaCouvee (Alberni Valley), Steen Cooper (Cowichan Valley/Penticton) and Edwin Hookenson (Nanaimo).

You鈥檝e also got the No. 7 Providence Friars taking on the No. 9 Clarkson Golden Knights in an East Regional semi-final at the Webster Bank Arena.

The Providence roster includes Vincent Desharnais (Chilliwack), Scott Conway (Penticton), Brandon Duhaime (Merritt), Vimal Sukumaran (Chilliwack) and Chase Zieky (Salmon Arm). The Golden Knights go to war with Ben Dalpe (Penticton), Nic Pierog (Surrey/Penticton), Devin Brosseau (Nanaimo), Sheldon Rempal (Nanaimo), Jordan Schneider (Langley) and Connor McCarthy (Chilliwack).

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And finally, it was pointed out to me this morning that I am now covering hockey players who were born in 2002.

Penticton radio play-by-play man Craig Beauchemin said the Vees dressed Cole Shepard in their most recent playoff game against Trial and he鈥檒l be back in the Penticton lineup tonight.

I find this news to be very depressing.

Eric Welsh is the sports editor at the Chilliwack Progress and has been covering junior A hockey in B.C. and Alberta since 2003.

Email eric.welsh@theprogress.com

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