The Cowichan Capitals will hope to move to 3-0 on the season when the host the reigning BCHL regular season champions in the Chilliwack Chiefs. Cowichan is 2-0 after a pair of opening weekend wins over divisional foes, a 2-0 win in Nanaimo on opening night with Josh Kagan scoring the game winner in the 2nd period, Andy Bridgewater hit the empty net and Zach Borgiel stopped all 35 for his first BCHL win and shutout. Then on September 7th, in Cowichan’s home opener, the Caps torched Victoria to the tune of an 8-2 win, scoring 3 times in each the first and second period before each team scored twice in the 3rd. Dan McIntyre scored one in each period for his first BCHL hat-trick, while Luc Wilson and Olivier Gauthier scored twice, with Brady Lynn recording a single. Borgiel was once again great, stopping 32/34 in the win, while being named the BCHL’s Player of the Week. McIntyre’s 4 point weekend (3-1-4) also gave him an honourable mention.
The Chilliwack Chiefs are 1-1 in the young season, after a 5-3 win in Langley on September 8th to kick off the season, and a 5-2 loss in Powell River on Friday night, the first of this 3 game road trip. The Chiefs led the game 2-1 before Powell River rattled off 4 straight, including 3 in just under 5 minutes. Nikita Nesterenko, a 6th round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild leads the team with 3 assists, and defenseman Cooper more has the team lead in goals with 2. Chilliwack graduated their top 5 scorers from last year, Ethan Bowen showed he could play at the BCHL level, and now enters his 17 year old season after 39 points as a 16 year old. Nathan Kelly, who spent just under a season and a half in Powell River is the Chilliwack captain and steady eddy on the back end.
Chilliwack does still have one half of their goalie duo from last year with Mathieu Caron still on the roster as a 19 year old, last year going 18-7, but he has yet to play in either of the games so far. The Chiefs traded 20 year old Daniel Chenard to Wenatchee have brought in 17 year old Kolby Thornton, having played last year for the Neepawa Natives of the Manitoba junior hockey league, he stopped 22/25 in the win over Langley last weekend, and 28/33 last night.
Join us for Saturday’s home game with adult tickets for sale for just $14, for full ticket information or to purchase tickets, call or visit the Capitals box office located at the Cowichan Community Centre. The Capitals are on the road on Sunday in Powell River at 2:00PM. The Capitals are then at home to the Surrey Eagles for the only time this season on Wednesday September 18th to kick off a 3 game week.
If you can’t make it to the game, every Capitals game home and away is broadcast live on 89.7 Juice FM on the FM dial, or you can listen live online on mycowichanvalleynow.com, or watch live on Hockey TV pay-per-view. For all of your ticket information, check out the ticket page on the Capitals website or contact the Capitals office. Adult tickets are just $14, with students and seniors for $11 and kids for $7.
