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BCHL Today: 15 players score their first career BCHL goals, and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

Coquitlam vs. Surrey first career BCHL goals

Coquitlam Express forward Sam Marit scored his first career BCHL goal on a power play with 18 seconds left in the first period against the Surrey Eagles.

The 2000-born forward had seven career junior A goals before joining the Express, five in the Ontario Junior Hockey League and two in the Superior International Junior Hockey League.

2004-born defenseman Tate Taylor notched the eventual game-winner for Surrey with 9:40 left in the second period against Coquitlam for his first career BCHL goal.

The Richmond, BC product posted five goals in 34 games with the Delta Hockey Academy Elite 15s of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League U16 in 2019-20.

Surrey forward Alec Saretzky provided the insurance marker for the Eagles with 3:41 remaining in the second period in their 5-1 season-opening win against the Express.

The 2002-born Saskatonian had 39 goals in 126 games with the Saskatoon Blazers U18 AAA in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League over the last three seasons.

Penticton vs. Trail first career BCHL goals

Quinnipiac University commit Jacob Quillan of the Penticton Vees scored his first career BCHL goal, shorthanded, 7:58 into the first period against Trail on Friday.

The 2002-born native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia had a respectable 10 points in 14 games for the Vees during the exhibition season last fall.

Switzerland’s Stefano Bottini got his first BCHL goal just 17 seconds into the second period of the Vees 4-1 win over the Smoke Eaters.

The 2002-born winger played for the Swiss at the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship and had 40 points in 43 games for his hometown Lugano U20 team last season.

2002-born defenseman Frank Djurasevic‘s first career BCHL staked Penticton to a 3-0 lead just 20 seconds after Bottini’s marker.

The New Rochelle, New York product had 10 goals and 39 points in 49 games split between the North Jersey Avalanche 18U AAA and Trinity-Pawling School in 2019-20.

2002-born forward Connor Michaud was the lone Smoke Eaters player to beat Vees goaltender Kaden Lane, it came with 37 seconds left in the second period and was his first career BCHL goal.

The product of Moncton, New Brunswick was tied for third in scoring for Trail during the exhibition season with three goals and seven points in eight games.

Salmon Arm vs. Vernon first career BCHL goals

Vernon Vipers 2002-born forward Logan Lorenz posted the game-winner for his first career BCHL goal with 3:11 left in the first period en route to a 4-1 victory over Salmon Arm.

The Consort, Alberta product played five junior A games with the Spruce Grove Saints of the Alberta Junior Hockey League last season but didn’t find the scoresheet.

Fellow Vipers rookie forward Luke Pakulak tallied his first career BCHL goal two minutes into the third period on a power play on Friday against the Silverbacks.

The 2003-born product of Surrey scored once for Vernon in nine games during the BCHL exhibition season last fall.

Alberni Valley vs. Victoria first career BCHL goals

2002-born Victoria Grizzlies forward Ellis Rickwood exploded onto the BCHL scene during Friday’s shootout win by not only scoring his first career BCHL goal, but also his second, third, and fourth.

The native of Brantford, Ontario, who was third in BCHL scoring during exhibition, posted his first goal 6:57 into the first period. His fourth tally tied the game at five with 6:18 left in the third.

It took 30 seconds for Alberni Valley forward Brandon Buhr to score his first career BCHL goal and he scored his second with 9:11 left in the third period of a 6-5 shootout loss to Victoria.

The 2002-born Clarkson University commit tied for the Bulldogs lead in goals during the exhibition season with seven. He finished with 10 points in 15 games.

Although he has 21 career goals in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Friday saw 2000-born forward Lukas Jirousek post his first career BCHL goal. It came on a power play 9:01 into the second period.

Jirousek, who’s the lone player from the Yukon in the BCHL this season, played a total of 100 AJHL games with Olds, Grande Prairie, and Canmore over the last two seasons.

A decent scorer at the junior B level in Ontario, 2001-born forward Adam Jeffery tallied his first career BCHL goal just 26 seconds after Jirousek’s in the second period of Friday’s game vs. Victoria.

Jeffery scored 34 goals in 94 games with his hometown Leamington Flyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2018-20.

Chilliwack vs. Merritt first career BCHL goals

Chilliwack Chiefs forward Ray Fust, who’s committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for this fall, scored his first career BCHL goal just 38 seconds into Friday’s game against Merritt.

The 2002-born Swiss product played for his home country at the 2021 World Junior Hockey Championship and finished with one assist in four games.

After playing 79 BCHL games without finding the back of the net, 2000-born defenseman Trevor Isaksson put one on the board for the Merritt Centennials with 13:14 left in the third period of Friday’s 5-2 loss to Chilliwack.

Isaksson, a predominantly stay-at-home blueliner who hails from North Delta, BC, spent parts of three seasons with Trail, Nanaimo, and Penticton before joining the Cents in a trade last September.

Vipers goalie Porter Jr. commits to MacEwan University

Vernon Vipers goaltender James Porter Jr. has committed to play U SPORTS hockey at MacEwan University in Edmonton, starting this fall. He was the Vipers winning netminder in Friday’s 4-1 win over Salmon Arm.

Porter Jr., who’s from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, is a veteran of 82 Western Hockey League games with Kelowna and Spokane. He has a career WHL record of 38-24-9 with a 3.12 goals-against-average, a .900 save percentage, and six shutouts.

Vernon brings in Buss for 2021-22

The Vernon Vipers announced the recruitment of 2003-born forward Luke Buss for the 2021-22 BCHL season.

The Columbus, Ohio product has 11 goals and 28 points in 26 US high school games with Shattuck St. Mary’s 18U Prep this season.

Rush hold fundraiser for Defiel

The Rapid City Rush of the ECHL is holding a fundraiser auction to support goaltender Gordon Defiel (20-20-0, 3.64 GAA, .888 SV% in 44 games with Coquitlam in 2013-14), who suffered a medical emergency while on the bench during a game last month.

He was released by the Rush on Mar. 26 so he could get medical treatment at his home in Minnesota.

Three Stars of the Night

First Star: Victoria forward Ellis Rickwood had four goals as the Grizzlies edged Alberni Valley 6-5 in a shootout.

Second Star: Chiefs forward Ethan Bowen had two goals and an assist as Chilliwack topped Merritt 5-2.

Third Star: Alberni Valley netminder Luke Pearson made 45 saves in the 6-5 shootout loss to the Grizz.

Honourable Mentions: Victoria forward Henri Schreifels had a goal and two assists. Grizzlies forward Alex DiPaolo notched three assists. Alberni Valley forward Brandon Buhr had two goals.