BCHL Today: Salmon Arm wins bid to host Showcase, Merritt loss means Warriors clinch final playoff spot, and more

League officially announces location of 2020 Showcase Festival

Although BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb spilled the beans during his interview on Vancouver radio station TSN 1040 last Wednesday, the league officially announced that the 2020 BCHL Showcase Festival is in Salmon Arm this September. It was jointly hosted by Chilliwack and Penticton in 2019. From 2012-18, the Showcase was hosted exclusively in Chilliwack.

Warriors get commitment from WHL first round bantam pick Jugnauth

Defenceman Tyson Jugnauth, who is playing this season with the Okanagan Rockets of the BC Major Midget League, has committed to the West Kelowna Warriors for the 2020-21 season. The 15-year-old has five goals and 18 assists in 28 games with the Rockets this season.

He’s also played two games with the Warriors as an affiliate. Jugnauth was selected in the first round, 19th overall by Swift Current in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.

West Kelowna clinches final playoff spot

With Merritt’s 9-2 loss to Coquitlam on Tuesday night, the Centennials are officially eliminated from the BCHL playoffs as they cannot mathematically catch West Kelowna. Although the Warriors are in, their opponent in the first round is still undetermined. The Warriors are three points back of Prince George for the second Interior Division wild card spot and both teams have five games remaining.

Former Silverbacks sniper Hirose sent down to AHL by Detroit

Forward Taro Hirose (33 goals, 88 assists in 116 games with Salmon Arm from 2014-16) was assigned to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins by the Detroit Red Wings. Hirose has two goals and five assists in 26 games with the Red Wings this season. He’s added four goals and 16 assists in 23 games with the Griffins.

Former Cents defenceman Teves assigned to ECHL

Defenceman Josh Teves (five goals, 28 assists in 57 games with Merritt in 2014-15) has been loaned by the Utica Comets of the AHL to the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. Teves has two assists in 25 games this season with the Comets.

Three Stars of the Night

First Star: Victoria goaltender Liam Souliere made 51 saves.

Second Star: Chilliwack forward Connor Milburn tallied a goal and an assist.

Third Star: Coquitlam forward Greg Lapointe scored a pair of goals.

Honourable Mentions: Langley forward Matthew Hubbarde, and Express forwards Cooper Connell, Josh Wildauer and Adam Trotman each had a goal and two assists. Victoria forward Vincent Nardone and Merritt forward Rylan Van Unen each had a goal and an assist.

If the playoffs started today…

Mainland Division

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

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) Salmon Arm vs. (WC1) Victoria
(4) Vernon vs. (5) Wenatchee