Squamish's Dalton Thrower and the Saskatoon Blades already have a guaranteed spot in the Memorial Cup tournament, but the team might have a longer-than-expected break before it gets underway.
Saskatoon will host the annual showcase of the top major junior teams in Canada, meaning the Blades already have a spot, but Thrower and his mates find themselves down two games to none to the Medicine Hat Tigers at press time.
The Blades lost 4-1 to the Tigers in Game 1 on Thursday (March 21) and then were shut out 3-0 on Friday (March 22) on Game 2. The team traveled to Medicine Hat for games on Tuesday (March 26) and Wednesday (March 27) but results were not available at press time.
Regardless of how the Blades do in the playoffs, they will compete for the Memorial Cup on home ice from May 16 to 23.
It's still up in the air if Dalton's brother Josh Thrower will be in Saskatoon in May but his Calgary Hitmen got off to a good start, taking a 2-0 lead over the Swift Current Broncos.
Calgary posted a 6-5 win in Game 1 on Thursday and followed that with a 3-1 win on Friday. The series continued on Monday and Tuesday in Swift Current but results were not available at press time.
If all four top seeds advance, the Throwers will meet in the second round of the playoffs. Otherwise the battle of the brothers wouldn't occur until Round 3.
The Throwers aren't the only local hockey players ripping up the ranks of junior hockey, as Brodyn Nielsen and the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL are trying to stay alive in Round 2.
The Chiefs eliminated the Prince George Spruce Kings in five games in the first round and then moved on to a tilt with the Surrey Eagles. Chilliwack fell behind two games to none and faced their playoff fate on Monday. The fifth and final game of the series, if necessary, was set to take place on Wednesday.
Over in Manitoba, 麻豆社国产netminder Corey Koop is making his final season of Junior A hockey one to remember. Koop and the Steinbach Pistons are only two games away from reaching the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL) finals after taking a two games to zero lead over the Winnipeg Blues. Game 3 was scheduled on Tuesday, with Game 4 taking place on Thursday (March 28).
Bret Higham and the Richmond Sockeyes are two wins away from winning the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL) crown. The Sockeyes swept the North Delta Devils in Round 1 and then outlasted the Delta Ice Hawks in seven games in Round 2. They're now up two games to none in the finals against the Aldergrove Kodiaks and have a chance to wrap it all up in game four on Thursday.
If the Sockeyes win they will advance to the Keystone Cup in Comox from April 11 to 14.
Last but not least, Malik Kaila and Jarid Lukosevicius helping the Northwest Giants of the B.C. Major Midget League to the team's fifth straight title and the duo's second championship win.
The Giants defeated the Okanagan Rockets 1-0 on Sunday (March 24) to win the B.C. Midget Provincial crown and will now face the top midget team from Alberta. If the Giants can defeat Alberta's best, they will then move on to the National Midget Tournament in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., later on in April.
Stay tuned to The Chief for more updated on Squamish's junior hockey talent.
