Who doesn’t like goals? This week’s KIJHL Notebook highlights each team’s top snipers.
Before getting into that, on Tuesday night, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats gave the goal judge plenty of work in a 14-3 victory over the Spokane Braves. Austin McLean was credited with the eventual winning goal as he scored to give the home team a 4-1 lead. However, it was captain Luke Chakrabarti who scored four goals, while collecting three assists. He helped his brother Max and Nikolai Morrison get a hat-trick. Max also finished with seven points, while Morrison had five.
Eddie Mountain Division
Taylor Haggerty leads the Fernie Ghostriders with 26 goals (third in the KIJHL) in 42 games, topping the 16 he posted last season as a first-year player. He also has seven game-winners and power-play tallies, while averaging 19:48 of ice time (TOI). Kaden Slobodian leads the blueline with eight goals
Tristan Weill, second in the KIJHL in points, leads the Kimberley Dynamiters with 38 goals in 36 games, which also leads the league. Ten of his goals are winners, which also leads the KIJHL. He also has 12 power-play tallies, while playing 16:42 a game. Weill has 78 career KIJHL goals in 138 regular season and playoffs games combined. Trey Stephenson leads their blueline with six goals.
After scoring 11 goals in 30 games last season as a rookie, Kobe Mason leads the Columbia Valley Rockies with 15 goals in 28 games. He has one game-winner and four power-play goals while averaging 17:42 of TOI. Wyatt Wurtz leads their blueline with four goals.
Luke Chakrabarti leads the Creston Valley Thunder Cats with 29 goals in 43 games, which ranks him second in the league. Chakrabarti also has six game-winners and five power-play goals, while averaging 20:51 of TOI. Luke has two hat-tricks in nine games. Luke has 99 career KIJHL goals – regular season and playoffs combined. Max Chakrabarti leads their blueline with 17 goals in 39 games, to lead all KIJHL defencemen.
Dominic Fiorentino leads the Golden Rockets with 12 goals in 41 games. Five have come on the power-play, while playing 15:04 of TOI. Isaiah Stotz leads the blueline with three goals.
Neil Murdoch Division
Ollie Clement leads the Beaver Valley Nitehawks with 18 goals in 40 games, while playing an average of 16:49 a game. Four of his goals are winners. Lucas Gartner has nine goals on defence, four of them coming from the power-play.
Nate Tillmanns has 22 goals in 40 games for the Grand Forks Border Bruins. Nine are on power-play and two winners, while averaging 18:37 a game. Ben Edwards has 11 goals in 30 games, establishing a single season career high as a defenceman.
Crae Dawson has 19 goals in 38 games for the Nelson Leafs with two as winners and on the power-play in 18:31 of TOE. Memfis Burgeson has 10 goals, including three in 20 games for the Leafs.
Castlegar product Reid Gerrand leads the Rebels with 17 goals in 42 games. Five of them are winners, while seven have been scored on the power-play in 19:34 of TOI. Gerrand had five goals in 41 games last season as a rookie. Austin Lourenco leads the blueline with nine goals in 39 games.
Zach Baumann (20:24 TOI) leads the Spokane Braves with 20 goals in 42. He has one winner and two goals on the power-play. Lance Insko leads the blueline with six goals.
Bill Ohlhausen Division
Anmol Garcha leads the Princeton Posse with 22 goals in 38 games, a new single season high for the Sherwood Park, Alta. product. He also has six game-winners and four power-play goals, while playing an average of 19:52 a game. Garcha has 55 career goals in 124 regular season and playoff games combined. Lucas Sadownyk leads the blueline with six goals.
Rookie Nolan Kelly leads the North Okanagan Knights with 19 goals in 37 games, including four winners and six on the power-play. He averages 17:59 of TOI. Colton Fleming leads the blueline with seven goals in 35 games, a new career high for the 19-year-old.
Jarrod Gale has 15 goals in 32 games for the Osoyoos Coyotes, with two winners and four on the power-play. He averages 19:27 of ice time. Levi Brewer, Parker Garries and Jordan Gale each have one goal on defence, though Brewer leads the blueline with 30 points.
Matt Keylor has 16 goals in 42 games for the Kelowna Chiefs with three game-winners and four power-play goals, while playing 19:14 a game. Jake Kessler leads the blueline with four goals.
Joseph Krukowski has 13 goals in 34 games with the Summerland Steam, with one game-winner and two power-play tallies, playing an average of 18:56 a game. Brayden Gosselin leads the blueline with four goals.
Doug Birks Division
Rookie Alexander Bronswyk (14:57) and Brady Schwab (18:10 TOI) lead the Revelstoke Grizzlies with 15 goals each, in 36 and 38 games, respectively. Mikkel Hrechka leads the blueline with 14 goals, he has five with the Grizzlies. Faris Meddeb has nine goals.
Hayden Evans leads the Sicamous Eagles with 26 goals in 41 games, and has four winners, seven power-play goals while playing 17:15 a game. Duncan Paradis leads the blueline with five goals playing.
Evan Clark leads the Kamloops Storm with 19 goals in 35 games, and has four winners and four power-play goals. He plays 21 minutes a game. Sam Lewis leads the blueline with 11 goals in 32 games.
Kaleb Preymak has 20 goals in 38 games for the Chase Heat, with three winners and seven on the power-play on 19:17 TOI. Andrew Morris leads the blueline with five goals in 17 games since coming from Revelstoke.
Ethan Davey has 22 goals in 40 games for the 100 Mile House Wranglers with two winners and four on the power-play, while playing 19:33 a game. Kaden Ernst leads the blueline with six goals.