No Harrison Blaisdell. No Kevin Wall. No problem for the Chilliwack Chiefs, who dispatched the Langley Rivermen 3-1 in a rare Wednesday afternoon matinee at Prospera Centre.
Despite missing its top two scorers (Wall to suspension, Blaisdell to the World Junior A Challenge) Chilliwack carried on its season-long dominance of its Mainland division rivals, beating Langley for the sixth time in six meetings.
The home team improved to 23-9-0-0, leap-frogging Prince George to regain first place in the BCHL and Mainland division standings. (note - that may have changed Wednesday night as Prince George hosted Vernon after Progress press deadlines).
The Chiefs opened the scoring just 66 seconds in on a goal by Cole Donhauser. Matt Holmes set him up, collecting a puck below the end line and feeding a backhand pass into the left faceoff circle.
Donhauser ripped a top-shelf shot over Langley goalie Braedon Fleming for his 10th of the year.
The Rivermen drew even, briefly, at 14:06 when Benjamin Perkins deflected a Garrett Daly point shot past Chiefs netminder Nolan Hildebrand for his first career BCHL goal.
But Skyler Brind’Amour restored the lead on a Chilliwack power play just 79 seconds later.
Holmes swooped behind the Langley net and delivered the puck into the blue paint for Brind’Amour to whack past Fleming.
The Chiefs expanded their lead in the middle frame on another power play, with Jacques Bouquot collecting his first BCHL goal.
No. 27 camped in the blue paint and banged in a backhand centering pass from Donhauser.
That goal wrapped up the scoring. Langley went quietly to their fate as the teams played out a sleepy third period.
The three stars were Bouquot (first), Donhauser (second) and Will Dow-Kenny (third).
The Energy Player of the Game was Slipec.
The Chiefs host Powell River Saturday night (7 p.m.) and Trail Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.)