The Penticton Vees Jr. A Hockey Club has announced that forward Owen Sillinger has committed to Bemidji State University for the 2018-2019 season.
Sillinger, 19, is in his second season with the Vees registering 16 goals and 35 points in 49 games.
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The Regina, Sask., product has played in 107 career BCHL regular season games, amassing 32 goals and 80 points to go along with 46 penalty-minutes. He’s added another three goals and five points in 11 playoff games. Sillinger scored his first career hat-trick on Sept. 22nd against Langley and had a career high four-point game against Cowichan Valley on Dec. 10. Most recently he scored the game-winning goal Friday in the Vees’ 2-1 win over Nanaimo; he has points in two of his last three games.
Sillinger, the son of former NHLer Mike Sillinger, will be back in Penticton for one more season, but says the extra seasoning will help him make an impact right away at the collegiate level.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to go into the WCHA as an older freshman and be in an important role. I’m excited to join their program in two years and can’t wait to get down there,” said Sillinger. “I really liked the fact it’s a smaller campus, where the hockey program has such passionate following. I felt really comfortable right away with their veteran coaching staff and you get the sense the program they’re building is ready to win.”
Sillinger, who was originally committed to Arizona State University, called it an honour to join the Beavers. Sillinger said Bemidji’s smaller campus gives him the feeling of his hometown. When he goes as an older freshman, Sillinger said he will be “ready to rock.”
The Beavers play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). They’ve been playing at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division l level since 1999, first in the College Hockey America (CHA) conference, then moving to the WCHA in 2010. They won five CHA Championships and three CHA Tournament Championships before their move to the WCHA. The Beavers play out of the 4,300 seat Sanford Centre in Minnesota. Former Vees’ defenceman Brett Beauvais is in his junior season at Bemidji and is one of four BCHL alumni on their roster.
