By Derek Kaye
Castlegar News contributor
It was a great weekend for Castlegar hockey fans. The beloved KIJHL Rebels won both their games to help toward clinching their play-off spot. The collegiate Selkirk Saints had no trouble winning both their games. The 7-0 win over the University of Victoria Vikes on Saturday February 8 gave Saints’ goalie Chris Hurry a shut-out on the same night as receiving the player of the month and game first star honours.
The following evening the Saints were across the border making a case for Canadian hockey superiority, decisively beating their University of Eastern Washington opponents 6-3 on a cold Sunday afternoon in Spokane.
The Saturday game at the Complex really was a standout for Chris Hurry as the Vikes landed a total of 45 shots compared to the Saints 35 shots of which the Vikes Goalie Nick Babich allowed seven to cross the goal line. On offence the Saints were faster on the plays and turnovers resulting in some quick passing and breakaway opportunities. Captain Logan Proulx teamed up with line mates Jackson Garrett and Cody Fidgett to produce the first two goals at 13:43 and 9:23, Fidget scoring the first and Proulx the second. The next period scoring opened at 10:56 with the Proulx and Garret line accompanied by goal scorer Connor McLaughlin. Two more goals were landed in the second period: by Tanner Lenting (assisted by Matthew Luongo and Mason Spear) and Thomas Hardy at assisted by Darnell Dyck and Dylan Smith.
The third period featured continued domination for the Saints as they scored twice more while Saints goalie Chris Hurry refused to let any of the Vikes shots hit their mark. The Proulx-Garrett line, this time including Tanner Lenting, scored at 10:17, Garrett being the triggerman. One last goal at 6:32 by Ryan Procyshyn, assisted by Markus McCrea and Mason Spear, gave the Selkirk Saints a lucky seven.
Coach Jeff Dubois was quick to praise the consistent goaltending by Chris Hurry. “Offensively we had the guns going pretty good; defensively not our best that was the most shots we’ve giving up at home this season. Chris Hurry was a much bigger part of the game then you might think your goalie would need to be in a seven nothing win.”
Second star kudos went to Logan Proulx and third star to linemate Jackson Garrett who together were responsible for four of the seven Saints’ goals. Jackson Garrett, obviously elated by the evening’s events, spoke to the Castlegar News after the game.
“Scored a nice goal,” he summarized. “Logan made a really good pass there on a three on two, made a nice move to the back end and put it in and was really happy about it. Play with two really good line mates, Cody Fidget and Logan Proulx. They’re unreal hockey players. It makes it super easy to play with them that’s for damn sure.”
The Saints next home game is Valentine’s Day (Friday February 14) at the Castlegar Complex against Trinity Western. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m. The Saints are currently second in the league standings four points behind Simon Fraser.
