The Vancouver North East Chiefs will be facing the Valley West Hawks in the first round of the B.C. Hockey Major Midget League playoffs this week after dropping their last pair of regular season contests to the Cariboo Cougars last weekend. The Maple Ridge-based Chiefs finish the regular season with a 16-17-7 record, just a point shy of breaking .500, and qualify for the playoffs for the second straight year.The Chiefs are 0-2-2 against the Hawks this season, and will need to come up with at least two wins this weekend to advance. Both teams face-off at the Langley Events Centre for a best-of-three series, with games Friday, Saturday and Sunday.The Cougars took a 3-0 lead on the Chiefs Saturday, but saw it evaporate in the third period as the Chiefs pushed hard to tie the game. Down by three goals to start the final frame, Nick Hermany scored to put the Chiefs on the board. Jamie Waddington added another midway through the period to draw the Chiefs within one. The Cougars answered back with two and half minutes to play, and despite another goal by Waddington to make it 4-3, the Chiefs could not complete the comeback. Adam Rockwood, Taylor Green, Matthew Bissett, Joey Santucci, and Hermany all registered assists.The Cougars again took a 3-0 lead on Sunday, as they potted a trio of goals during a three-minute span in the second period. Liam Pearce got the Chiefs on the board before the period was out, and Bissett scored late in the third to draw the Chiefs within one. However, the Cougars were able to pot an empty-netter with 30 seconds remaining to seal the 4-2 win.Tyler Martin, Santucci, Rockwood, and Waddington all had assists.
