The Selkirk College Men’s Hockey
program will look to build on the best start in team history and further
tighten their hold on top spot in the British Columbia Intercollegiate
Hockey League standings when they visit Trinity Western University in
Langley, B.C. for a pair of weekend games on Friday (7:00PM) and
Saturday (1:00PM).
The weekend represents the team’s second visit to the Lower Mainland in
a span of seven days, as the Saints are coming off a milestone win at
SFU on Saturday night. The victory was the first-ever for Selkirk over
the perennial BCIHL leaders and snapped a 25-game home unbeaten streak
for the Clan at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre in Burnaby.
But the dynamic will likely be different in Langley on Friday when the
Saints face off against a TWU squad that is still looking for its first
regular season victory. The Spartans head into action with a 0-7 record
including a 0-3 mark on home ice.
"On paper there may be a gap between ourselves and TWU in the standings,
but they’re a hard-working, disciplined team that will come out very
hungry for a win," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "We need to
approach these games with the same work ethic, intensity and preparation
that went in to our wins over TRU and SFU last weekend. Anything less
would be a real disappointment given the faith we’ve placed in the
character level of our group."
Selkirk has faced the Spartans on one previous occasion this season,
having picked up a 6-1 win in their home opener at the Castlegar Rec
Complex on October 12th. That game saw linemates Logan Proulx and Jordan
Wood each collect three points while the Saints fired a season-high 64
shots on TWU netminder Harry Fredeman, who made a number of spectacular
saves in the loss.
The Saints are dealing with a number of injuries as the weekend
approaches. Forward Cody Fidgett and Thomas Hardy, who sit third and
fifth in league scoring, each suffered lower body injuries on last
weekend’s road trip and may not be ready to rejoin the line-up this
weekend. Blueliner Lucas Hildebrand, meanwhile, missed Saturday’s game
at SFU and is day-to-day.
Saints Notes: Selkirk’s current eight-game winning streak is the longest
by any team to begin a BCIHL season, surpassing the previous mark of six
originally set by the University of the Fraser Valley in 2007/08 and
since matched twice by SFU.
The Saints continue to dominate the BCIHL scoring leaders, with team
captain Jordan Wood leading the way with 19 points in 8 games. Forwards
Logan Proulx, Thomas, Hardy, Cody Fidgett and Scott Swiston and
defenceman Dylan Smith round out the top six while Connor McLaughlin and
Beau Taylor sit eighth and 10th respectively.
After going scoreless through four games to begin the regular season,
McLaughlin has been on fire in recent weeks. The former Fernie
Ghostriders MVP has scored eight times in the past four games with that
goal total good for second overall in the BCIHL behind Wood’s 10.