INTERIOR CONFERENCE
(1) PENTICTON VEES (47-3-0-2) VS. (4) CHILLIWACK CHIEFS (28-21-1-3)
HEAD-TO-HEAD (so far): Penticton 5-1. Chiefs handed Vees one of three regulation losses (7-1) back on Sept. 24. Teams meet one last time on Saturday, March 3.
MATCHUP: Vees have recorded three straight 38+ win regular seasons ... Penticton has been in the BCHL playoffs for eight straight years ... First BCHL playoff appearance for Chilliwack since 2006, but third straight for Quesnel Millionaires/Chiefs franchise.
STARS: Penticton forward Connor Reilly (35-50-85) is one of five 30-goal scorers during record-breaking season ... Six different Vees average more than 1.5 points-per-game ... Penticton netminder Michael Garteig leads BCHL in wins, shutouts and GAA at 1.98, is second in save percentage ... As Malcolm Gould (25-34-59), Derek Huisman (27-28-56) and David Bondra (22-31-53) go, so goes the scoring for the Chiefs ... Chilliwack forward Trevor Hills (14-16-30) is the fourth leading scorer on the team, 23 points separate him and Bondra.
PREDICTION: Penticton is without a doubt the team to beat. Vees in four.
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(2) MERRITT CENTENNIALS (30-17-2-5) VS. (3) PRINCE GEORGE SPRUCE KINGS (29-18-2-4)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Merritt 5-1-0-1 ... Five of the seven games decided by one goal.
MATCHUP: Cents have recorded three straight 22+ win regular seasons ... 2012 is Merritt's third straight post-season appearance ... First BCHL playoff appearance for Prince George since 2009, but seventh in nine seasons for the Spruce Kings.
STARS: Centennials are led by their top line of Regan Soquila, Evan Stack and Chad Brears ... Soquila (15-49-64) is tied for third most assists in the BCHL ... Brears, with (26-24-50), has nearly three times as many points as a year ago ... Stack (27-28-55) has more than doubled his goal total from 2010-11 ... Merritt goaltenders Lino Chimienti and Tyler Steel are both in the BCHL top ten in GAA and shutouts ... PG forward Paul DeJersey (40-51-91) currently leads entire BCHL in scoring ... Forward Jarryd Ten Vaanholt has 21 points (11-10-21) in 16 games since joining Spruce Kings from Victoria at Jan. 10 trade deadline ... PG forward Jujhar Khaira leads all U18 BCHLers with 67 points (27-40-67) in 47 games.
PREDICTION: Should be a tight series with travel affecting both teams adversely. Centennials in seven.
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COASTAL CONFERENCE
(1) SURREY EAGLES (33-11-2-7) VS. (4) COQUITLAM EXPRESS (32-18-2-2)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Coquitlam 3-2-1-1. Three of seven games decided by one goal and three of seven also went to overtime.
MATCHUP: Eagles have qualified for BCHL post-season for six straight years and 12 of the last 13 ... Second straight BCHL playoff appearance for the Express and 9th time in the last 11 years that Coquitlam/Burnaby franchise has qualified.
STARS: Surrey is deep, with 12 players at 0.5 points-per-game or better, led by forward Tyler Morley (26-33-59) ... Steve Koshey is a force from the blueline for the Eagles with (14-27-41) ... Surrey netminder Andrew Hunt is tied for fifth in GAA in the BCHL at 2.76 and is second in the league in wins with 28 ... Express forward Alex Petan is sixth in BCHL scoring (32-46-78) and linemate Alex Kerfoot is second in U18 scoring (22-39-61) ... Coquitlam d-man Clinton Atkinson leads all Coastal Conference blueliners in scoring (7-46-53) ... Express goaltender Cole Huggins started the season unbeaten in 13 and is fourth in GAA at 2.65.
PREDICTION: Just seven points separate these teams in the standings, should be a great series. Express in seven.
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(2) POWELL RIVER KINGS (34-15-2-2) VS. (3) COWICHAN VALLEY CAPITALS (32-16-1-6)
HEAD-TO-HEAD: Powell River 5-0 ... Three of the five games decided by one goal, including two in overtime ... Teams meet one last time on Friday, March 2.
MATCHUP: Kings have recorded 25+ wins in 10 of the last 11 seasons ... 2012 is Powell River's 11th straight post-season appearance and the Kings have played in the Fred Page Cup Final three straight years ... The Kings are the stingiest team in the Coastal Conference and have allowed the second fewest (118) goals in the BCHL ... Capitals have missed the post-season in two of the last four years, but have made in nine of the last 11 years.
STARS: Powell River only has three players averaging a point per game or better, including the dynamic Cohen Adair ... Craig Dalrymple is second among all BCHL defencemen in scoring (20-29-49) for the Kings ... Powell River goaltender Sean Maguire is second in the BCHL in GAA (2.35) ... Cowichan Valley forward Devin Gannon is eighth in BCHL scoring (26-47-73) ... First year Capital Matt Brown has (31-26-57) after joining CV from the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts during the off-season ... Cowichan forward Jacob Charles with (19-28-47) has quadrupled his point total from 2010-11.
PREDICTION: Season series has been tight in terms of scores, but Powell River owns Cowichan Valley this season. Kings in six.
Big Thanks to Brian Wiebe for writing this
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