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BCHL Today: Visram, Morgan, Floris score first BCHL goals, Veilleux and Carlson suspended, and more!

Written by Brian Wiebe on

 

Morgan gets first BCHL goal

2002-born Salmon Arm forward Nathan Morgan scored his first BCHL goal on a power play at 18:07 of the first period in the Silverbacks 4-1 win over the West Kelowna Warriors.

Morgan’s goal was Salmon Arm’s first tally of the game to make the score 1-0. The Windermere, BC commit of Dartmouth College did score 17 goals in the Alberta Junior Hockey League between the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

Floris tallies first BCHL goal

2000-born Trail forward Hunter Floris of Vanderhoof, BC posted his first BCHL goal on Sunday in a 3-1 loss to Chilliwack. The goal was the Smoke Eaters lone marker of the game, at 9:33 of the third period, to make the score 2-1 Vees.

It came in Floris’s 11th career BCHL game and is also his first point in the league. He did score 38 goals in the AJHL from 2018-20 split between Bonnyville and Olds.

Visram pots his first career BCHL goal

2000-born Merritt Centennials defenseman Liam Visram scored his first BCHL goal with only three games potentially left in his BCHL career.

Visram’s marker at the 17:55 mark of Sunday’s game against Chilliwack was the Cents’ first of the game as they tried to claw back from a 3-0 deficit. The Langley product was playing his 66th career BCHL game after spending parts of the last two seasons with Nanaimo.

Grizzlies defenseman Veilleux suspended two games

Victoria Grizzlies defenseman Jake Veilleux will miss two games due to a suspension for receiving his second fighting major of the season during Saturday’s game against Nanaimo.

The 2000-born blueliner has four goals and 13 points in 15 games for the Grizzlies this season. He sat out Sunday’s loss to Cowichan Valley and won’t play on Tuesday against the Capitals either.

Veilleux is eligible to return to Victoria’s lineup on Wednesday against the Clippers.

Bucks add Smith as an affiliate player

The Cranbrook Bucks have added 2004-born forward Jacob Smith as an affiliate player for the remainder of the pod season.

Smith, who’s from Trail, was set to play U18 AAA for the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds this season before COVID-19 restrictions halted things last fall.

He had 10 goals and 20 points in 40 games with the Kootenay Ice U18 AAA in 2019-20 and also played four games with Beaver Valley of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

Clippers defenseman Carlson suspended one game

Nanaimo Clippers defenseman Brendan Carlson was suspended one game by the BCHL for getting a major penalty and game misconduct for fighting in Saturday’s game against Victoria, and it was deemed to be a second fight on the same stoppage.

Carlson, a 2003-born rookie, has two assists in 15 games with the Clips this season. He will sit out Nanaimo’s game on Monday against Alberni Valley and can return on Wednesday for another meeting with the Grizzlies.

Avalanche bring Newhook up to the taxi squad

The Colorado Avalanche brought forward Alex Newhook (60 goals, 108 assists in 98 games with Victoria from 2017-19) up to its taxi squad on Sunday.

The 20-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avs on Mar. 31. Newhook had five goals and nine points in eight games with the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League since joining them in mid-April.

Bettauer signs an extension with Ravensburg

Defenseman James Bettauer (seven goals, 19 assists in 75 games with Penticton and Burnaby from 2007-10) has signed a one-year contract extension with the Ravensburg Towerstars of the DEL2 for the 2021-22 season.

DEL2 is the second tier of professional hockey in Germany. The 30-year-old from Burnaby had 15 goals and 30 points in 30 games with the Towerstars this past season.

Three Stars of the Night ⭐⭐⭐

First Star: Surrey forward Brandon Santa Juana had a pair of goals as the Eagles dumped Coquitlam 5-2.

Second Star: Salmon Arm forward Simon Tassy popped in two goals as the Silverbacks topped West Kelowna 4-1.

Third Star: Cowichan Valley goaltender Lucas Pfeil stopped 32 shots as the Capitals edged the Victoria Grizzlies 3-2.

Honourable Mentions: Merritt goaltender Josh Dias stopped 44 shots. Silverbacks netminder Owen Say and Trail goalie Cayden Hamming each made 32 saves. Surrey forward Buddy Johnson, Penticton defenseman Grayson Arnott, Capitals forward Riley Wallack, Vees forward Liam Malmquist, and Salmon Arm defenseman Tucker Hartmann each posted two assists. West Kelowna goaltender Johnny Derrick kicked out 38 shots.