The sa国际传媒 Hockey League heads into its final regular-season weekend with only a couple of things known: The Coastal Conference-leading Alberni Valley Bulldogs (35-15-4) will play the eighth-seed Cowichan Valley Capitals (15-33-6) in the first round of the playoffs while the ninth-place Powell River Kings will be the only team in the conference to miss the playoffs.
The rest of the Coastal Conference playoff picture is a jumble with the matchups to be decided in the closing games, including tonight’s in Nanaimo at Frank Crane Arena between the host Clippers and visiting Victoria Grizzlies. It is the last regular-season game for both clubs.
Nanaimo (32-17-4) can claim at least a second-place tie with a victory to relegate the Langley Rivermen to third place. The Chilliwack Chiefs have two games remaining and still have a shot at the second seed if they win out against the Coquitlam Express and Merritt Centennials.
Tonight’s regular-season concluding game is meaningless for the Grizzlies (29-4), who are locked into the fifth seed. Victoria will play either the Clippers, Rivermen or Chiefs in the opening round of the playoffs, depending on weekend results.
“It’s a tough one for us motivation-wise,” said Grizzlies GM and head coach Craig Didmon, who will also be missing key injured players Connor Eddy, Clark Hiebert, Ellis Rickwood and Isack Bandu.
“But it’s an opportunity to give different players different looks and some will have an opportunity to play a bigger role in the game.”
The Surrey Eagles are locked into the sixth seed and Coquitlam into the seventh seed.
The Penticton Vees (42-8-2) have two games remaining but have already clinched both the Interior Division and BCHL regular-season crowns.
Grizzlies star Matthew Wood, with 85 points and a five-point lead on teammate Rickwood, appears primed to claim the points-scoring championship.
