Saints blast Spartans to move within a win of fourth BCIHL title
By Bob Hall
The British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League’s (BCIHL) championship best-of-three final opened Friday night at the Castlegar & District Recreation Complex with a 5-1 Selkirk College Saints victory over the Trinity Western University Spartans.
Game two of the series goes Saturday at 7 p.m. tonight in Castlegar at the Arena Complex with the Saints looking for a league record fourth straight BCIHL title.
Ryan Edwards played set-up man with four assists, Dallas Calvin scored a pair with Ashton McLeod, Ryon Sookro and Jamie Vlanich providing the rest of the offence.
Saints starting goaltender and recently announced BCIHL First Team All-Star James Prigione stopped 24 shots in the win.
Facing BCIHL Second All-Star Team goaltender Silas Matthys who backstopped his team a first round upset over Simon Fraser University in last weekend’s semi-final, the Saints pounced quickly.
Defenceman McLeod’s shot from the point eluded Matthys just 24 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead.
The Saints then peppered Matthys with seven shots in the first five minutes where they dominated play. A pair of penalties in the second half of the first period doused Selkirk’s momentum and Jamey Kreller scored on a breakaway to tie the score with two minutes left in opening 20.
Sookro scored 25 seconds into the second period when he stuffed away a rebound that came after Dane Feeney dangled through three Spartan defenders.
Calvin gave the Saints a two goal lead seven minutes into the second when he fired a laser top shelf over Matthys’ blocker. Selkirk’s third powerplay goal of the period also came courtesy Calvin with helpers from fellow Beaver Valley Nitehawk alum Edwards and Sookro.
Vlanich scored his fourth of the post-season midway through the third when he moved with purpose through the Spartans’ zone on a great individual effort.
Trinity Western threw 11 shots on Prigione in the gritty final period where the intensity is sure to carry forward to Saturday night’s Game Two.
