Submitted by BCHL newsletter
With a national championship on the line, here’s a look at the teams and some names to watch for.
Humboldt Broncos (SJHL), host team
Regular season record – 42-11-2-3, 89pts
Top scorer – Andrew Johnston, 29-52-81, 57 games
Likely starting goaltender – Matt Hrynkiw, 22-3-0, 2.28GAA, .921sv%
How they qualified: Host team
Inside stuff – Head coach Dean Brockman was an assistant with Team Canada West in November’s World Junior A Challenge in Langley. While there, he coached Penticton’s Travis St. Denis, Troy Stecher and Curtis Loik and coached against Mike Reilly and Mario Lucia who played with Team USA.
Portage Terriers (MJHL), West representative
Regular season record – 42-15-5, 89pts
Top scorer – Brent Wold, 26-45-71, 60 games
Likely starting goaltender – Shea Cooper, 30-13-0, 2.75GAA, .901sv%
How they qualified: Faced Humboldt Broncos in Anavet Cup
Inside stuff – The Terriers are playing in their second-straight RBC Cup and will be motivated to improve their showing after a 1-3 record in the round robin last year.
Soo Thunderbirds (NOJHL), Central representative
Regular season record – 37-11-2, 76 pts
Top scorer – Micky Sartoretto, 43-54-97, 45 games
Likely starting goaltender – John Kleinhans, 26-9-0, 2.86GAA, .912sv%
How they qualified – Won Dudley-Hewitt Cup over Stouffville Spirit
Inside stuff – The Thunderbirds will be without their head coach stemming from a disciplinary action for an incident after the team’s Dudley-Hewitt Cup victory.
Woodstock Slammers (MHL), East representative
Regular season record – 45-6, 91pts
Top scorer – Bradley Greene, 39-35-74, 51 games
Likely starting goaltender – Matt Murphy – 29-6-3, 2.13GAA, .932sv%
How they qualified – Won Fred Page Cup over Nepean Raiders
Inside stuff – The Slammers held the number-one ranking in the Canadian Junior Hockey League rankings for all of November and December until they were overtaken by the Vees on Jan. 9. They were sixth in the final CJHL rankings, which came out Feb 27.
