BCHL

BCHL Today: League announces regular season award finalists, Clippers’ Kovich commits to Cornell, Eagles’ Tellier hits 100 point milestone, and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

BCHL announces regular season award finalists

With 2019-20 regular season wrapping up this weekend, the BC Hockey League announced the three finalists in each of its individual awards on Friday. Each award has a finalist from the Island, Mainland and Interior Divisions, as voted upon by the league’s coaches.

Vern Dye Memorial Trophy – BCHL Most Valuable Player

Cowichan Valley Capitals defenceman Dimitri Mikrogiannakis, Coquitlam Express goaltender Clay Stevenson and Trail Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson are the three finalists for the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as BCHL Most Valuable Player.

Johnson leads the league in scoring with 41 goals and 60 assists in 52 games for the Smoke Eaters. Mikrogiannakis has seven goals and 38 assists in 56 games for the Capitals this season. Stevenson is 30-2-0 with a 1.77 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and four shutouts for the Express.

Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy – Rookie of the Year

The three finalists for the Bruce Allison Trophy as Rookie of the Year are Victoria forward Cody Monds, Chilliwack forward Nikita Nesterenko and Trail goaltender Logan Terness.

Monds is tied for first in scoring among all rookies with 22 goals and 37 assists in 56 games. Nesterenko, who was selected by the Minnesota Wild in last year’s NHL Draft, has posted 20 goals and 32 assists in 55 games for the Chiefs. Terness is 27-9-2 with a 2.33 GAA, a .932 SV% and one shutout in 43 games. He is third in the league in wins and fourth in goals against average.

BCHL Top Goaltender Award

Nanaimo’s Jordan Naylor along with Stevenson and Terness are the three finalists for the BCHL’s Top Goaltender Award.

Naylor is second to Stevenson in all major goaltending categories. He is 29-9-2 on the season with a 2.05 GAA, a .935 SV% and six shutouts. Stevenson and Terness are two of just four players to be named as finalists for more than one award.

Bob Fenton Trophy – BCHL Most Sportsmanlike Player

Johnson, Prince George forward Nick Poisson and Victoria forward Marty Westhaver are the three finalists for the Bob Fenton Trophy as Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Johnson has 101 points in 52 games and just 17 penalty minutes for an average of just 0.33 penalty minutes per game. Poisson, who has tallied 21 goals and 26 assists in 49 games for the Spruce Kings along with 20 penalty minutes, for an average of 0.41 PIM per game. Westhaver is up to 18 goals and 26 assists in 49 games to go with 16 penalty minutes for an average of 0.33 PIM per game.

BCHL Top Defenceman Award

Mikrogiannakis is also in the running for BCHL Top Defenceman alongside Langley’s Jake Livingstone and Salmon Arm’s Akito Hirose.

Hirose leads all BCHL blueliners in scoring with nine goals and 42 assists in 56 games. Livingstone, who’s been deadly on the power play for the Rivermen this season, has 11 goals and 37 assists in 51 games.

Clippers forward Kovich commits to Cornell for 2021-22

Nanaimo forward Kyler Kovich is the eleventh player on the Clippers roster to commit to an NCAA school. The sophomore is set to attend Cornell University in Sept. 2021. Kovich has 17 goals and 21 assists in 50 games for Nanaimo this season.

Eagles forward Tellier hits 100 point milestone

Surrey Eagles forward Christophe Tellier cracked the 100 point plateau in his BCHL career with a goal and an assist in Friday’s 3-2 loss to Langley.

Former Express forward Ladd brought back by New York Islanders

Forward Andrew Ladd (15 goals, 40 assists in 58 games with Coquitlam in 2002-03) has been called up to the New York Islanders from Bridgeport of the AHL.

Ladd was assigned to the Sound Tigers earlier this season as he recovered from injury. He has 11 goals and three assists in 34 AHL games this season.

Former Kings forward Ryan Scarfo called up to AHL

Forward Ryan Scarfo (17 goals, 31 assists in 50 games with Powell River in 2013-14) has been recalled by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers.

Scarfo has 12 goals and 14 assists in 43 games with the Nailers this season. He’s also gone pointless in two AHL games with the Baby Penguins.

Three Stars of the Night

First Star: West Kelowna forward John Evans potted three goals.

Second Star: Powell River forward Devin Leduc had two goals and one assist.

Third Star: Trail forward Chase Dafoe notched a hat trick.

Honourable Mentions: Smoke Eaters forward Jaden Senkoe, Warriors forward Ryan Upson, and Kings forwards Michael Abgrall and Levi Glasman each had a goal and two assists. Nanaimo goaltender Jordan Naylor kicked out 30 shots. Coquitlam forward Joshua Wildauer scored a pair of goals. Cowichan Valley netminder Zach Borgiel made 39 saves.

If the playoffs started today…

Mainland Division

(1) Coquitlam vs. (4) Langley
(2) Surrey vs. (3) Chilliwack

Island Division

(1) Cowichan Valley vs. (4) Alberni Valley
(2) Nanaimo vs. (3) Powell River

Interior Division

(1) Penticton vs. (6) West Kelowna
(2) Trail vs. (WC2) Prince George
(3) Wenatchee vs. (WC1) Victoria
(4) Vernon vs. (5) Salmon Arm