The BC Hockey League playoffs are off and running with the first round coming to a conclusion. In the first round, we saw some miraculous series’ so far. As expected, the Penticton Vees continued their dominating ways and swept the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The Vernon Vipers went into West Kelowna and upset the number three seed in the Interior Conference four games to two. The biggest upset was the Wenatchee Wild taking out the Cranbrook Bucks in six games, ruining any chance of the dream matchup between the second-place Bucks and first-place Vees in the Interior Conference final.
The Coastal Conference saw some interesting outcomes. The first was the Chilliwack Chiefs as the number five seed defeating the Coquitlam Express in five games. The Langley Rivermen tried their best to upset the defending Coastal Conference champion Nanaimo Clippers but fell four games to two.
The Powell River Kings returned to the playoffs after missing for the first time in 20 years last season. They put a scare in the Surrey Eagles by stealing game two before the Eagles showed why they are the number two seed and took the series in five.
Let’s have a look at the second-round matchups.
Interior Conference
Penticton Vees (1) vs. Wenatchee Wild (7)
Penticton has dominated the BCHL all season. The Vees broke records left, right, and centre with the best winning percentage of all time. The Vees won all but four games and finished with 101 of a possible 108 points. The Vees continued their winning ways in the post-season by dispatching the Trail Smoke Eaters in four straight, scoring 28 goals and only allowing nine.
Wenatchee had an average season but it was an improvement on last season and its first winning record since before the pandemic. The Wild drew the Cranbrook Bucks in the first round and were heavy underdogs with the Bucks finishing second to Penticton.
This was also the match-up of two of the three teams to beat Penticton in games during the regular season. The Wild upset the Bucks four games to two and if Wenatchee can get past the Vees, it will be labeled as a giant killer.
The matchup looks like the Vees will dominate the Wild, but Penticton has been stunned before. It happened with Trail in 2017-18 and Cowichan Valley upset the Vees a year later.
Prediction: Vees in seven
Salmon Arm Silverbacks (4) vs. Vernon Vipers (6)
Salmon Arm was in a dog fight all the way to the end of the season to secure the number four seed and home ice. The Backs drew the Prince George Spruce Kings in the first round and eliminated them in four straight games. After the disappointment of how last year’s playoffs ended at the same stage, the Silverbacks are looking to get to their first Interior Conference final in a dozen years.
Vernon is coming into its own, harkening back to the days of the Vipers winning three straight Fred Page Cups from 2009-11. The Snakes finished in sixth spot and had a tough test in the first round with the West Kelowna Warriors. The Vipers and Warriors went back and forth until Vernon took control and finished West-K with a shutout in game six.
This could be a lot closer than the Penticton-Wenatchee series. I can see this being full of one-goal games with a few overtimes thrown in.
Prediction: Vipers in seven
Coastal Conference
Nanaimo Clippers (1) vs. Chilliwack Chiefs (5)
The Clippers have had a whirlwind over the last couple of seasons. With everything that has gone on in the background of the team, the players have done their best to capitalize on their momentum from last season when they went all the way to the Fred Page Cup final. The Clippers finished atop the Coastal Conference with a 37-14-3 record. Nanaimo had a scare in the first round but moved aside the Langley Rivermen in six games.
The Chilliwack Chiefs almost feel like they are experiencing déjà vu. The Chiefs finished fifth in the conference, which was a down year from last year when they finished second. Chilliwack played the Express in the first round just like last year, this time finishing the Express off in five hard-fought games.
The Chiefs now face the Clippers who took care of them in four straight games 12 months ago. Those games were so close as all but one of the games were decided by one goal.
This could be the match-up of the playoffs. Not only is it a rematch of last year’s semi-finals but it’s a revenge series for the Chiefs. They want to take out not only the top team but avenge last year’s sweep. Nanaimo wants to keep the train running and end their championship drought. The Clippers haven’t claimed the BCHL crown since 2007.
Prediction: Chiefs in six
Surrey Eagles (2) vs. Alberni Valley Bulldogs (3)
The Eagles are on a resurgence since bringing in Cam Keith as head coach in 2018-19 and adding new owners. It seems to have revitalized the Eagles fan base. Surrey finished second in the Coastal Conference, which is its highest place since 2012-13. That season, the Eagles won the Fred Page Cup and Western Canada Cup. This year, the Eagles played the Powell River Kings and flew past them in five games.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are looking to get to the Conference final after a disappointing finish to last season where they lost at this stage to the Langley Rivermen in six games. The Bulldogs finished third in the conference, the same spot the Clippers were in last year. The Bulldogs are on a roll after dispatching the Victoria Grizzlies in four straight games.
The Eagles and Bulldogs are really evenly matched teams and this could go either way.
Prediction: Bulldogs in seven
The Coastal Conference is very similar to how it played out last season. The Chiefs and Clippers face each other again and the Bulldogs meet another Lower Mainland-based team in the Eagles, who are located only 20 minutes away from Alberni’s opponents last year. These should be two really close series that could easily go the distance.
The Interior Conference might be an easier get, with the dominant Vees leading the way. Don’t sleep on the Wenatchee Wild though, after dispatching the second-seeded Bucks and having a victory over Penticton this season. The Silverbacks and Vipers might be a closer series and will set up a nice conference final against the Vees or Wild.
