The first weekend of October delivered breakthrough victories, standout performances and milestone moments across the BCHC, with the Grand Forks Border Bruins and Columbia Valley Rockies earning their first BCHC wins, the Fernie Ghostriders extending a remarkable run on home ice and 10 rookies finding the back of the net for the first time.
Fernie keeps the door shut
The Fernie Ghostriders have yet to allow a goal at home in BCHC regular-season play. Fernie made it three straight home shutouts Saturday with a 6-0 win over the Quesnel River Rush, extending the streak to 180 minutes while outscoring opponents 14-0.
Kael Svenson stopped all 19 shots against Quesnel for his second shutout in his last two starts and has recorded two of Fernie’s three home shutouts. September BCHC Goalie of the Month Leo den Besten recorded the other against Columbia Valley.
Saturday’s victory was also Fernie’s fourth straight overall.
Grand Forks and Columbia Valley break through
Two clubs earned their first BCHC victories over the weekend.
The Grand Forks Border Bruins erased a 2-0 deficit against the Beaver Valley Nitehawks on Saturday before Austin Tellefson scored at 3:09 of overtime for a 3-2 win. The goal was also Tellefson’s first in the BCHC, while Cole Fox stopped 34 of 36 shots.
On Sunday, the Columbia Valley Rockies broke through in a big way. The Rockies entered the game winless through five games with just six goals, then scored nine in a 9-3 win over Quesnel. Parker Cutts and Keatan Thompson scored twice apiece as Columbia Valley scored more goals Sunday than it had in its first five games combined.
Big performances from Ridge Meadows and Osoyoos
Jonah Ussher scored four times Sunday as the Ridge Meadows Flames defeated the Port Coquitlam Trailblazers 6-3, including the game-winning goal. The victory was the Flames’ third straight.
Captain Josh Bettesworth helped fuel that run with a five-point performance Friday, recording a goal and four assists in an 8-1 win over the Chilliwack Jets.
The Osoyoos Coyotes found two different ways to win. On Friday, Ollie Reid tied Beaver Valley with 26 seconds remaining before Mason Rudolph scored the lone shootout goal in a 5-4 victory. One night later, Sam Koester stopped 46 of 49 shots as Osoyoos handed the Williams Lake Mustangs their first loss, 4-3.
First Junior A goals
Ten rookies recorded their first BCHC goals over the weekend:
Robert Gassoff | St. Louis, Missouri | Quesnel River Rush
Rhys McLean | St. Albert, Alberta | Beaver Valley Nitehawks
Jayden Squissato | Athabasca, Alberta | Nelson Leafs
Tristan Aidoo | Edmonton, Alberta | Williams Lake Mustangs
Marcus Domhof | Williams Lake, B.C. | Princeton Posse
Kishan Saggu | Surrey, B.C. | Delta Ice Hawks
Ryder Kulbacki | Hinton, Alberta | Revelstoke Grizzlies
Ben Fragle | Edmonton, Alberta | Beaver Valley Nitehawks
Phoenix Hinks | Chilliwack, B.C. | Chilliwack Jets
Graydon Proctor | Calgary, Alberta | Columbia Valley Rockies
Comebacks, rivalry hockey and standout goaltending
The Revelstoke Grizzlies produced one of the weekend’s top comebacks Saturday. Trailing the Princeton Posse 4-2 in the third period, Revelstoke scored three unanswered, with Macklen Popke scoring the tying and winning goals in a 5-4 victory. William Stewart made 39 saves.
The Merritt Centennials struck first in the inaugural Coquihalla Cup, defeating the Kamloops Storm 3-1 Friday. Noah Lawless had two goals and an assist, while Sam Saskiw stopped 35 of 36 shots.
Port Coquitlam’s Shay McVicker delivered another standout performance Friday, making 44 saves on 45 shots in a 5-1 victory over the Richmond Sockeyes.
Williams Lake erased a 2-0 deficit Friday with four unanswered third-period goals to beat Grand Forks 4-2 before Osoyoos ended the Mustangs’ perfect start the following night.
The Nelson Leafs received goals from seven different players in a 7-5 win over Columbia Valley, while the Coastal Tsunami answered a 3-1 deficit with four straight goals to defeat the Delta Ice Hawks 5-3 on Saturday.
More than hockey
Coastal hosted Truth and Reconciliation Night on Friday, welcoming 566 fans and wearing special-edition orange jerseys created in collaboration with Everett August and Bracken Corlett.
The Summerland Jets marked Breast Cancer Awareness Night on Friday and paired the occasion with a 3-1 victory over Revelstoke.
Weekend Scoreboard
Friday, Oct. 2
Langley Trappers 5 at Coastal Tsunami 1 | Gibsons & Area Community Centre
Revelstoke Grizzlies 1 at Summerland Jets 3 | Summerland Arena
Williams Lake Mustangs 4 at Grand Forks Border Bruins 2 | Jack Goddard Memorial Arena
Quesnel River Rush 3 at Kimberley Dynamiters 5 | Civic Centre
Columbia Valley Rockies 5 at Nelson Leafs 7 | Nelson & District Community Complex
Merritt Centennials 3 at Kamloops Storm 1 | McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre
Beaver Valley Nitehawks 4 at Osoyoos Coyotes 5 (SO) | Sun Bowl Arena
Richmond Sockeyes 1 at Port Coquitlam Trailblazers 5 | Port Coquitlam Community Centre
Chilliwack Jets 1 at Ridge Meadows Flames 8 | Cam Neely Arena
Saturday, Oct. 3
Quesnel River Rush 0 at Fernie Ghostriders 6 | Fernie Memorial Arena
Williams Lake Mustangs 3 at Osoyoos Coyotes 4 | Sun Bowl Arena
Revelstoke Grizzlies 5 at Princeton Posse 4 | Princeton & District Arena
Coastal Tsunami 5 at Delta Ice Hawks 3 | Sungod Recreation Centre
Kamloops Storm 4 at Summerland Jets 1 | Summerland Arena
Grand Forks Border Bruins 3 at Beaver Valley Nitehawks 2 (OT) | Beaver Valley Arena
Sunday, Oct. 4
Quesnel River Rush 3 at Columbia Valley Rockies 9 | Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena
Ridge Meadows Flames 6 at Port Coquitlam Trailblazers 3 | Port Coquitlam Community Centre
Langley Trappers 3 at Princeton Posse 4 (SO) | Princeton & District Arena
Chilliwack Jets 7 at Burnaby Steelers 4 | Burnaby Winter Club
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