CHILLIWACK TIMES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012
A11
Upcoming games: Dec. 5 - Coquitlam @ Chilliwack 7 p.m. Dec. 14 - Nanaimo @ Chilliwack 7 p.m.
chiefsextra
Mainland Division
TEAM GP Chilliwack 28 Surrey 26 Prince George 27 Coquitlam 27 Langley 26
Island Division
TEAM Victoria Alberni Valley Powell River Nanaimo Cowichan
GP 27 29 30 27 24
W L 19 7 17 7 12 9 14 12 10 12
T OL PTS 1 1 40 0 2 36 1 5 30 1 0 29 0 4 24
W 17 15 14 14 7
T OL PTS 0 2 36 0 4 34 0 3 31 0 2 30 0 2 16
L 8 10 13 11 15
Interior Division
Penticton Merritt W. Kelowna Vernon Salmon Arm Trail
28 25 26 27 28 31
18 7 14 9 11 8 10 11 11 13 12 18
0 1 1 0 1 0
3 1 6 6 3 1
Chiefs leading scorers Luke Esposito Austin Plevy Josh Hansen Trevor Hills David Thompson
GP G A 28 11 28 26 15 18 28 18 14 23 6 11 28 5 12
39 30 29 26 26 25
PTS 39 33 32 17 17
BCHL notes...
The BCHL’s trading deadline came and went Saturday with just four deals, none involving the Chilliwack Chiefs. The Nanaimo Clippers were the busiest team, sending forward Greg Trichilo, 20, and defenceman David Iacono, 19, to teams in New Brunswick and Ontario, respectively. Cowichan Valley sent d-man Corey Scammon to the top team in the country, the Brooks Bandits. The Vernon Vipers dealt forward Mitch Van Teeling to the Dauphin Kings in Manitoba.
Two out of three ain’t bad Trail Chilliwack Chilliwack Prince George Chilliwack Prince George
6 3 2 0 6 0
BY TYLER OLSEN tolsen@chilliwacktimes.com
A
fter shutting out the Prince George Spruce Kings twice in a row, the Chilliwack Chiefs returned home Sunday and re-encountered their unlikely kryptonite: the Trail Smoke Eaters. The Smokies are one of the worst teams in the British Columbia Hockey League. The Chiefs are one of the best. But for the second time this season, Trail again proved to the Chiefs that no team is a sure thing. When the teams last met, on Nov. 2 in Trail, the Smoke Eaters spotted the Chiefs a three-goal first period lead before working their way back even, and then ahead. On Sunday, the Smoke Eaters were only slightly less generous. On Teddy Bear and Toque Toss night, the Chiefs’ Austin Plevy triggered an avalanche when he scored seven minutes into the first period. Linemate Luke Esposito added to the lead 10 minutes later on the power play. Ben Israel’s point shot had careened off the back boards and right onto the stick of Esposito, who made no mistake. Then Trail took over the game. Adam Wheeldon scored 2:24 into the second period to kick things off after Chiefs goaltender Josh Halpenny had mishandled the puck. It was all downhill from there, with the Smoke Eaters tying
Ken Goudswaard/TIMES
Trail Smoke Eater Tyler Berkholtz drives Chiefs forward Trevor Hills into the post during Sunday action at Prospera Centre. The Chiefs were doubled up 6-3 after posting two previous wins against Prince George during the week. the game a minute later on the power play, before going ahead midway through the period on another man advantage. Chilliwack was outshot 19-8 in the second period and were down 3-2 heading into the third. They could still have rallied, but it was Trail who scored three times in the first four minutes of the period to put the game away. Garrett Forster added a late consolation goal for the Chiefs. Much more reassuring for Chiefs fans should be the fact that—barring a miraculous Trail playoff run—they won’t have to see the Smoke Eaters again this year. They might also find solace that after losing to Trail in November, the Chiefs began a six-game winning streak. Chiefs dethroned Spruce Kings The Chiefs’ sorry play against
the Smoke Eaters stood in stark contrast to their dominant performance in Prince George just a couple days earlier. Chilliwack beat the Spruce Kings 6-0 Thursday, with Austin Plevy scoring twice, Luke Esposito adding three assists and Mitch Gillam making 31 saves for the shutout. Gillam was not to be beat in Prince George. He posted a second goose egg 24 hours later. Again, he made 31 saves for his third shutout of the year. Esposito scored late in the second on the power play. David Thompson got the other Chiefs goal in the third period, again with the man advantage. Gillam now leads all regular BCHL starting goaltenders in goals against average, save percentage and wins.
Esposito headed to Harvard Esposito had a good few days. Not only did he post seven points over the three games—extending his advantage atop the BCHL scoring leaderboard to four points— but he also signed a scholarship to one of the best universities on the planet, having committed to play for the University of Harvard next year, according to the Chiefs. Teddy Bear success The Chiefs’ Teddy Bear and Toque Toss was another roaring success, with hundreds of stuffed toys littering the ice. Players scooped up 903 teddy bears and toques from the Prospera Centre ice surface. All the stuffed toys go to Chilliwack Community Services, which distributes them to children in need.
The Jolly Miller “Where Friends Meet” Pub and Liquor Store 2012
Mexican Mondays 6-10pm
Wing Night
Tuesdays 6-10pm
$2 Burger & Music by Murphy’s Lagh
Wednesdays
5865 Vedder Road • 604-858-3505
Prawn Thursdays 6-10pm
BBQ 8oz NY Steak
Fridays 4-10pm
Chilliwack’s Largest Liquor Store Open 7 Days a Week
Liquor Store Hours: 9am-11pm 7 Days A Week Pub Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-1:00am • Sun 11am - Midnight