Jacob Bestebroer writes a weekly column during hockey season discussing the Chiliwack Chiefs, the BCHL and goings-on around the junior A world.
The BCHL season wraps up this weekend and it’s set up to be a wild and crazy battle for playoff positioning in all three divisions.
There were three games played Wednesday night, and two last night, all after my deadline for writing this so I can’t be exact in laying things out for you but we do know a few things.
In the Island division, we know that the Cowichan Valley Capitals will be the only BCHL team to not participate in the playoffs. We also know that the Alberni Valley Bulldogs will finish fourth and play whichever team finishes first in round one.
That could be one of three teams as the Powell River Kings will go into the weekend with 68 points and three games left.
The Kings can finish first if they win their three remaining games, all of which are on the road. They are in Cowichan tonight before games in Port Alberni Saturday and Sunday.
The Victoria Grizzlies also had 68 points but had only two games left prior to hosting Alberni Valley last night (Thursday) and Surrey on Sunday.
The Nanaimo Clippers were two points back with two games remaining prior to their home game against the Chilliwack Chiefs on Wednesday. They finish the regular season tonight at home against Surrey.
In the Interior we know that the Trail Smoke Eaters will finish in fourth place. They’ll play one of Penticton, Vernon or Wenatchee in round one meaning one of the league’s best four teams will be out after the first round.
Penticton has the inside track on first place with 81 points and three games left prior to Wednesday’s game against Salmon Arm. The Vipers have 79 points with two games left and the Wenatchee Wild had 77 points with three games left before Wednesday’s game in West Kelowna.
Teams five through seven in the Interior will be West Kelowna, Salmon Arm and Merrittt, order to be decided this weekend. The Coquitlam Express will slide over from the Mainland, take spot number eight and face the division’s first place team in round one.
In the Mainland division, the Prince George Spruce Kings will finish first.
Spots two through four will go to the Chiefs, Langley Rivermen and Surrey Eagles.
Langley has the inside track on second place with 60 points and three games left. The Rivermen are in Coquitlam tonight before hosting Merritt Saturday and Prince George Sunday.
The Chiefs, prior to Wednesday’s game in Nanaimo, had 58 points with three games left. They will host the Spruce Kings both tonight and Saturday night.
The Eagles have 58 points with three games left. They are on the road this weekend with stops in Nanaimo tonight, Cowichan Saturday and Victoria Sunday afternoon.
It looks like nothing will be official in this division before Sunday afternoon.
jb@chilliwackchiefs.net