The early January trade deadline frenzy has finally subsided, and many Western Hockey League contenders are settling in with their new-look rosters. Here’s a team-by-team look at the past couple of weeks in the B.C. Division.
Prince George Cougars (34-13-3-0…71 points)
Games remaining: 22
Divisional games: 11
Kelowna: 4; Victoria: 0; Kamloops: 5; Vancouver: 2.
The Cougars continue to lead the division, by 10 points through Jan. 23 and it is beginning to look as though they will not be caught. Whether the team can stay ahead of the Everett Silvertips in the western conference standings remains to be seen as the ‘Tips currently have five games in hand.
Of late, Prince George won three of four on its road trip against Central Division teams. The Cats have collected points in 20 of 26 road games this season, posting a .710 winning percentage that trails only the Regina Pats (.775). Upon their return home, the Cougars earned four points over two nights against the Portland Winterhawks. Prince George is 7-2-1 in last 10 games.
Stat Story: PG is 20th overall in power play efficiency and possesses the worst power play efficiency on the road in the WHL. The Cats boast the second best penalty kill in WHL. PG is one of only two teams to have scored on at least 60% of its shootout attempts so far (8 for 13).
Of Note: The Cougars have resided among the top ten ranked CHL teams in the country for almost the entire season. Is this on-ice success translating into ticket sales? Read on at your own risk by clicking right here – an interesting editorial from the Prince George Citizen on Jan. 11.
Kamloops Blazers (29-16-1-2…61 points)
Games remaining: 24
Divisional games: 14
Prince George: 5; Victoria: 4; Kelowna: 3; Vancouver: 2.
The Blazers played much of the past couple weeks without Connor Ingram, who took some time off after the WJC. An elite goaltender, Ingram’s absence did not seem to hurt the Blazers as the group has gone 7-2-0-1 in its last 10 games.
Following a 4-0 loss at home to the Everett Silvertips, Kamloops reeled off four straight wins at home to create some separation ahead of the Kelowna Rockets in the BC Division standings. A 5-4, come-from-behind win over the Cougars to complete the homestand should elevate the team’s confidence as they hit the road now for a couple of weeks. The Blazers will tour U.S Division locales. The journey also includes a re-scheduled tilt in Portland, a game originally scheduled for Jan. 8 that was cancelled due to inclement weather in the Rose City region.
Stat Story: Kamloops has the third best home record in the WHL (19-6-1) for a .750 winning percentage, trailing only Everett (.827) and Regina (.792). Kamloops is 10-10-2 on the road. The Blazers have the fourth best penalty killing unit in the league.
Kelowna Rockets (27-17-4-0…58 points)
Games remaining: 24
Divisional games: 14
Prince George: 4; Victoria: 2; Kamloops: 3; Vancouver: 5.
Kelowna has been inconsistent through much of January, posting a 4-4-2 record in its last ten games. A certain highlight was the doubleheader sweep of the Royals in Victoria, which included a 9-2 lambasting in the second game. A 4-1 win at home over Portland ended a three-game losing skid.
Injuries and illnesses continue to be a concern. Newly acquired forward Reid Gardiner, now 21, has not played since being injured in Everett on Jan. 16 after colliding with teammate Calvin Thurkauf. Nolan Foote (ill) has not played since Jan. 8. Dillon Dube (ill) has missed the last two games. On the upside, 19-year-old defenceman Gordie Ballhorn returned to the lineup on Jan. 18 after missing 21 games with a hand injury.
Stat Story: Kelowna continues to lead the WHL with 771 penalty minutes through 48 games. Only the Edmonton Oil Kings (722) are close. Not surprisingly, the Rockets have given up a league-high 55 power play goals. Through Jan. 22, Kelowna is the only team in the WHL’s western conference that has not surrendered a shorthanded goal. The Rockets lead the BC division with nine shorthanded tallies on the season.
Victoria Royals (26-19-4-0…56 points)
Games remaining: 23
Divisional games: 13
Prince George: 0; Kamloops: 4; Kelowna: 2; Vancouver: 7.
Based on volume, while the Royals were the quietest team in the BC division at the trade deadline, they have made some noise over the past week. After the doubleheader debacle at home against Kelowna, Victoria went undefeated in four straight games to stay close to its division rivals. The Royals are 6-4 in its last ten games.
Matthew Phillips went on a scoring rampage during the winning streak with eight goals and one assist. With 35 goals in 47 games so far, Phillips is just two tallies shy of his 37-goal output last season, which took 72 games to compile. Of the 77 goals he has scored during the past two seasons (including playoffs), 30 have come on the power play. Tyler Soy was also effective, scoring 2 goals and adding 7 assists, which earned him WHL Player of the Week honours.
Stat Story: Among BC Division teams, the Royals have scored the most power play goals with 49. Victoria holds down the first wild card playoff spot in the western conference.
Vancouver Giants (17-27-1-3…38 points)
Games remaining: 24
Divisional games: 16
Prince George: 2; Kamloops: 2; Kelowna: 5; Victoria: 7.
For the young Giants, who are 2-7-0-1 in their last ten games, the post-season is very likely out of reach. However, this is a group that can potentially impact the BC division standings during the next seven weeks.
A big home ice win over the Kelowna Rockets on the weekend is a prime examples as the Giants kept Kelowna from gaining ground on the Kamloops Blazers. With 16 of its 24 remaining games scheduled against divisional rivals, anytime the Giants can knock off a heavyweight, the complexion of the playoff picture changes.
Vancouver has struggled through January without captain Tyler Benson in the lineup. Benson, who has signed an entry level contract with the Edmonton Oilers, has missed the last six games with a recurring injury. If he is on the shelf for a lengthy period, the youngsters will have to step up.
Stat Story: Vancouver has scored the fewest power play goals in the WHL with 27, and is among the league leaders in shorthanded goals allowed with nine. The Giants have given up 48 power play goals in 47 games and are second last in the league in penalty killing efficiency (75.0%), ahead of only the Swift Current Broncos.
