Every week during the BCHL season, local hockey guru Jacob Bestebroer pens a column in the Chilliwack Progress discussing the Chilliwack Chiefs and goings on around the BCHL.
The Chilliwack Chiefs are in Prince George tonight and tomorrow night for a pair of very important games. Despite being a nine hour bus ride away from the Lower Mainland, Prince George is indeed in the Mainland division, and they are currently just six points behind the first place Chiefs.
Things tightened up in the division last week thanks to Surrey winning twice in overtime in Prince George. Like most hockey leagues, the BCHL gives out two points for a win and no points for a loss.
Unless you lose in overtime.
Then you get a loser point.
Handing out loser points is ridiculous. Prince George has played the same number of games as the Chiefs (25) and has five fewer wins.
Move each team’s overtime losses into the loss column and the Chiefs record would be 17-7-1. Do the same to Prince George and their record is 12-12-1. Yet just six points separate the two teams.
It’s all very Canadian Football League like, with the CFL giving a single point to teams that MISS field goals.
I’d be fine with eliminating overtime all together, but equally fine with keeping it the way it is and eliminating the single point given out to teams that lose in extra time.
As it stands we’re one step away from handing out ‘participant’ ribbons to teams that lose in regulation. In between Chilliwack and Prince George are the Surrey Eagles who have moved to within two points of the Chiefs and received an honorable mention in this week’s CJHL national rankings.
Chilliwack remained the BCHL’s highest ranked team at ninth. The main reason the Chiefs are perched in first place in the division is their stellar record versus mainland division teams this season, 9-0-1-1.
The Chiefs return to home ice for their first of only two Sunday home games this season. The opponent is the Trail Smoke Eaters with a start time of 5 p.m.
This is the annual Teddy Bear/Toque Toss game, which means you can bring a new stuffed animal or toque and throw it on the ice after the Chiefs score their first goal. Everything collected will be donated to Chilliwack Community Services.
The Chiefs launched their Holiday Pack last week. For $49.95 including tax you get four adult ticket vouchers good for any 2012-13 regular season home game, plus a $25 gift card for Frankie’s Italian Kitchen (a $73 value).
There is a fan bus going to the Chiefs game in Langley on Saturday Dec.15. The cost is $20 which includes your ticket to the game.
Call the Chiefs office at 604-392-4433 or see Andrea at Customer Service during Sunday’s game if you are interested.
jb@chilliwackchiefs.net