The second week of the BC Hockey League season was a tough one for the Cranbrook Bucks. The Bucks went winless in four Penticton pod games against the Vees and the Trail Smoke Eaters. They were shut out once and managed just five goals in those four contests. Part of […]
BCHL
Meet the new goalies guarding the Grizzlies’ den
In the four months since the BC Hockey League exhibition season, the Victoria Grizzlies have added two new goaltenders. On Jan. 13, the Grizzlies acquired 2001-born Carter Woodside from the Prince George Spruce Kings for future considerations. Meanwhile, 2004-born Dryden DeMelo joined the Grizzlies as an extra goaltender. New roster […]
Cranbrook Bucks three stars for week one
It was a big week for the Cranbrook Bucks. From the first game to the first win, and all the achievements in between. It was a week of milestones for both the team and its players. I’ll recognize five players — three stars, and two honourable mentions — who […]
Bucks forwards Leibl and Vasko share their early season thoughts
The first weekend in April was a big one for the Cranbrook Bucks. On Saturday, Apr. 3, Cranbrook played its first game as a BC Hockey League franchise against the Penticton Vees. The next day, the Bucks picked up the first victory in team history when they beat the […]
Ahac ready to hit the ground running with the Silver Knights
It’s been quite the rise for Layton Ahac. Less than two years after playing his final game with the Prince George Spruce Kings, the 20-year-old blueliner finds himself one step away from the bright lights of the National Hockey League. Ahac, who was a third-round pick of the Vegas […]
Clippers Confidential with Matt Irwin (Part 2)
(This article was originally published on Apr. 9, 2021) Matt Irwin’s hockey journey following his tenure with the Nanaimo Clippers took him literally across North America. After a stellar three-year run in the BCHL, Irwin committed to the UMass Minutemen of the NCAA where he spent two seasons before […]
Spruce Kings leaning on a trio of rookies to protect the crease
Nothing about the pod season in the BC Hockey League is normal. From a limited number of games to playing a select number of teams and all with no fans in attendance, it would be easy for some of the players to feel a little bit off. In the […]
Clippers Confidential with Matt Irwin (Part 1)
(This article was originally published on Apr. 8, 2021) From the Fred Page Cup to the Stanley Cup Final, Matt Irwin is one lucky individual. The Victoria product and Nanaimo Clippers alumnus has carved out quite the career in the professional ranks, amassing more than 375 National Hockey League […]
Gerrie and Lavery finding early success with the Clippers
When the Nanaimo Clippers lost a few players at the end of the BCHL’s exhibition season, head coach and general manager Darren Naylor needed to find reinforcements. Naylor then signed 19-year-old Keighan Gerrie from Thunder Bay, Ontario. The Clippers are one of four teams competing in the Port Alberni pod, […]
Clippers Confidential with Wally Bzdell
Wally Bzdell may not have been the highest-scoring forward ever to play for the Nanaimo Clippers, his leadership qualities and character on and off the ice are still talked about to this day. After a nine-game audition in the 1986-87 BC Junior Hockey League season, Bzdell made the jump […]