The Selkirk College Saints Men's Hockey program will face a stiff challenge this weekend to keep their perfect regular season record intact when the Thompson Rivers University
WolfPack visit the Castlegar Recreation Complex for a pair of games on
Friday and Saturday nights. Both match-ups are set for a 7:30 PM
face-off.
The Saints have picked up wins in their first three games to begin the
2011/12 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League regular season, most recently
topping Trinity Western University by a 6-1 score in their home opener
on October 12th. The WolfPack, meanwhile, boast a 2-0 record after a
road victory at TWU and a home win over the University of Victoria.
"Thompson Rivers is traditionally one of the top teams in the BCIHL and
all signs point to this year's squad meeting that high standard," says
Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "We're approaching this weekend as a very
tough test to see where we're at as a team at this point in the season.
TRU always comes out hard and looks to dictate the physical tempo of the
game, and I expect our group to be ready for that."
Scoring has thus far come in bunches for Selkirk early in the year, with
15 goals for through three games. Saints forwards Logan Proulx, Thomas
Hardy and Jordan Wood all sit in the Top 10 in BCIHL scoring while
wingers Cody Fidgett and Beau Taylor sit just outside that group. The
WolfPack possess a potent offence of their own led by former KIJHL
95-point man Colten DeFrias. The rookie winger leads all league goal
scorers with four through two games.
TRU's roster also includes a number of players familiar to hockey fans
in the West Kootenays, including a trio of former Castlegar Rebels in
forward Anthony Delong and blueliners Cody Rose and Ben Bula. Also
featuring on defence for the WolfPack is team captain and former Trail
Smoke Eater Curtis Tonello.
Tickets for Friday and Saturday's games will be available at the door
for $8 (Adults) and $5 (Selkirk students & staff, seniors, children 6 &
older). Season passes are also still available at special rates on game
nights. For more information on Saints single game tickets and passes,
visit GoSaints.ca.
SAINTS NOTES: Forward Ben Starbuck has been added to the Saints roster
and may factor into the team's line-up at some point this weekend. The
Kaslo, B.C. native is a veteran of three collegiate seasons with the
University of Alberta-Augustana, which competes in the Alberta Colleges
Athletics Conference.
Starbuck has a 20-goal season in the ACAC on his resume and totaled 30
goals and 45 points over 62 regular games with the Vikings, plus three
points in six postseason appearances.