The 2024-25 BCHL Showcase went down from Oct. 13-17 in Chilliwack this year. The Victoria Grizzlies played two Showcase games. On Oct. 16th, the Grizzlies faced the Penticton Vees at the Chilliwack Coliseum and the next day, they were back at the same venue to meet the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Looking back at past BCHL showcases, the Grizzlies’ overall results have varied. Traditionally, they haven’t done so well at the event. The purpose of this article is to examine the Grizzlies’ record over the last five years at the BCHL Showcase, starting with 2018.
2018-19 BCHL Showcase
The 2018 BCHL Showcase was played in the Chilliwack Coliseum — then known as Prospera Centre. During the event this season, games were split between the arena’s main and secondary rinks.
On Sept. 20, the Grizzlies played their first game on the Coliseum’s main rink and lost 2-1 to the now-defunct Merritt Centennials. Defender Carter Berger scored the lone goal for Victoria during the game and Kurtis Chapman made 29 saves in the loss.
On Sept. 21, Victoria’s record dropped to 0-2 at the Showcase when it was doubled 6-3 by the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on the Coliseum’s secondary rink. Charlie Campbell, Marty Westhaver, and Edward Yan each scored for the Grizzlies. Chapman made 23 saves and split the game with Keenan Rancier, who kicked out 18 shots.
2019-20 BCHL Showcase
Once again, the 2019 Showcase was hosted at the Chilliwack Coliseum. In contrast to the year before, all but one of the games were played on the arena’s main rink. Only the Alberni Valley vs Merritt game was on the secondary rink.
On Oct. 2, the Grizzlies played their first game against the Powell River Kings and fell 8-3 in a laugher. Yan, Darwin Lakoduk, and Henri Schreifels provided the offence for Victoria. Joe Howe started the game for the Grizzlies and allowed six goals on 28 shots. He was pulled 18 seconds into the third period and Blake Wood finished the game with eight saves after allowing a pair of goals.
The following day, the Grizzlies played their second game of the Showcase against the Nanaimo Clippers and lost 5-1. Defender Reid Lindsay was the only player to find twine for Victoria. Wood took the loss, making 37 saves,
2021-22 BCHL Showcase
Because of provincial COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the 2020 BCHL Showcase was cancelled and the event returned in 2021. After a two-year absence, the 2021 Showcase returned to the Chilliwack Coliseum.
On Oct. 21 that year, the Grizzlies played their first game of the event against the Prince George Spruce Kings and narrowly lost 3-2. Devon deVries and Andrew Amousse potted the goals for Victoria while Carter Woodside stopped 22 shots in the loss.
Twenty-four hours later, the Grizzlies played their second game of the 2021 Showcase against the West Kelowna Warriors and we thumped 4-1. Nashville Predators first-round draft pick Matthew Wood tallied the lone goal for Victoria in the loss. Netminder Kyle Kelsey was solid and made 42 saves, including 22 in the second period.
2022-23 BCHL Showcase
Like the past events, the 2022 Showcase was played at the Coliseum in Chilliwack. All but two games were played on the arena’s secondary rink.
The Grizzlies played their first Showcase game that year against the Warriors on Oct. 17 and fell 5-3 to West Kelowna. Olivier Picard, who ended up leading the Grizzlies in scoring that season, potted a pair of goals for Victoria while Owen Bohn added a single marker in the defeat. Grizzlies netminder Ansel Holt had a rough outing and allowed four goals on just 16 shots.
On Oct. 18, the Grizzlies met the Merritt Centennials in their second game of the event and won 3-2 in their first victory at the BCHL Showcase in five years. Jack Gorton scored the winner against the Cents while Reegan Hiscock and Ryan Watt also added goals. Oliver Auyeung-Ashton stopped 19 second-period shots en route to a 35-save effort in the win.
2023-24 BCHL Showcase
The BCHL Showcase was hosted at the Kraken Community Iceplex in Seattle last year as the league partnered with the National Hockey League’s Kraken.
For the second straight year, the Grizzlies played their first game at the event against the West Kelowna Warriors. On Oct. 24, Victoria edged the Warriors 3-2, powered by goals from Patrick Murphy, Cam Smith, and Oliver Genest. Auyeung-Ashton made 23 saves to improve his season record to 7-2-0 at that point.
The next day, the Grizzlies were humbled in their second game of the Showcase, falling 6-2 to Merritt. The Cents were up 5-0 when Chase Pirtle broke the shutout in the third period. Smith scored Victoria’s second goal with three minutes left in the final frame. Goaltender Owen Bresson stopped 18 shots to take the loss.
2024-25 BCHL Showcase
The 2024 Showcase location was split between the Chilliwack Coliseum and the Abbotsford Centre. This season, the BCHL partnered with the Vancouver Canucks.
In an afternoon affair on Oct. 16, the Grizzlies played their first game against the Penticton Vees and dropped a 5-3 decision. Pirtle, Malcolm Green, and Drew Hockley supplied the offense for Victoria. The Vees threw 36 shots at Grizzlies goalie Tyler Hodges, who kicked out 31 of them.
Less than 24 hours later for a 10 a.m. start, Victoria faced Salmon Arm in its second contest of the event. It was a goalie battle as the Silverbacks took the win 1-0. Hodges made 34 saves but no Grizzlies players were able to beat Salmon Arm goalie Ryan Grout.
