If two’s a run and three’s a streak, the Cowichan Capitals come into the 2019 BCHL Showcase Festival presented by Bauer on an impressive winning streak, after taking all 3 games of the weekend against Salmon Arm, Vernon, and Surrey. Cowichan handed Salmon Arm their first loss, scored 6 even strength goals against Vernon and added the only power play goal the Vipers have given up all year, and wrapped it up with a solid 60 minute performance on the Olympic sized ice in Surrey. They also did all of that in convincing fashion, outscoring opponents 15-5 overall, and 6-0 in the first periods combined. On top of that, the scoring was spread all throughout the lineup, with 5 different Capitals scoring two goals in the three games (Cruz Cote, Matt Crasa, Dan McIntyre, Dimitri Mikrogiannakis, and Luc Wilson). Zach Borgiel was also named the BCHL’s Player of the Week, playing in all 3 games and improving his record to 8-1-0 on the season. Cowichan is now 8-2 as a team and an equal 4-1 at home and on the road. They now take to the ice at the Chilliwack Coliseum to face off with the Langley Rivermen Wednesday at 10:00 AM and Surrey on Thursday at 4:00PM.
The Langley Rivermen sit 5th in the Mainland Division with a 2-6-0 record, including wins over Coquitlam and Surrey, Langley is actually the only team to beat the Express this year. The Capitals are the most penalized team in the BCHL to this point with 154 penalty minutes, followed just behind by Langley’s 137. The Rivermen have struggled on home ice in the young season with a 1-5 record to this point at the George Preston Arena, but have one win in two tries on the road so far. Their offence was boosted by the return of Brendan Budy, who left Langley prior to last season to play at Denver University, but left after 6 games and played in the USHL, so far this season, he leads the team with 7 points, 2 of them goals, in 8 games. Braedon Flemming is in his 5th season with the Rivermen, and he’s been the work horse for the majority of the time spent in a Langley uniform. Between the last two regular season’s he appeared in 93 of the 116 games.
Who’s Hot: As mentioned, five Capitals scored two goals during the 3 game interior trip, the line of Luc Wilson, Matt Crasa, and Primo Self controlled the tempo in the majority of the shifts they played, and Dan McIntyre returning to the lineup re-united the very dangerous line with Zach Brooks and Andy Bridgewater, who each scored goals on the weekend not including McIntyre’s two on his own. Langley enters off a home and home split with Surrey, with a 3-0 win and 7-1 loss. Devin Leduc scored in both games, for his first two of the season. Along with Budy, Kalen Szeto (2-5-7) and Jake Livingstone (0-7-7) are also tied for the team lead in points.
How to follow: The puck drops at 10:00 AM from the Chilliwack Coliseum, and you can listen live on 89.7 Juice FM on the radio, and online at mycowichanvalleynow.com or watch on Hockey TV pay-per-view. The pregame show kicks off at 9:45 AM for some early morning hockey. For end of period updates, follow @CowichanCaps on Twitter and add Cowichan Capitals on Facebook.
Including tonight, the Capitals are playing 6 straight games on the road beginning with last weekend’s Interior Division road trip at Salmon Arm, Vernon, and Surrey on Sunday. Then the BCHL will host it’s annual showcase in Chilliwack and Penticton, the Capitals will play both of their games in Chilliwack, as they’ll face Langley Wednesday, Oct 2nd at 10:00 AM and Surrey on Thursday, Oct 3rd at 4:00PM, at the Chilliwack Coliseum. One final road game will be back on the Island and in Alberni Valley on October 5th before the Caps next home game October 11th against Trail.
