Midseason Report: Saints look to stay ahead of the pack in second half

After four consecutive B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League championships from 2013-2016, you could argue that there was really nowhere to go but down for Selkirk College. So while last season's 14-9-0-1 record and third place regular season finish would be considered a tidy day at the office for most teams, they didn't meet the Saints' expectations for success.

Fast-forward eight months and Selkirk's swagger has returned. The Saints closed out the 2017 portion of their schedule with an 11-2-0-1 record that included a 10-game winning streak to start the year, and they sit three points ahead of Trinity Western for first place in the league standings.

While no team succeeds or fails due to one player alone, you could certainly make the case than no BCIHLer impacts his team's fortunes more than Selkirk's Dallas Calvin. The third-year winger has been a standout since he first entered the league in 2015 but he's never been better than over the first 14 games of the current season.

Calvin holds a monstrous 13-point lead atop the league scoring charts over EWU's Beau Walker and the TWU duo of Brayden Brown and Evan Last. Each of those star forwards has totaled 17 points, three short of Calvin's assists total. And while the 23-hold has his fair share of big nights, like a five-point performance against VIU on October 28th, he's also unfailingly consistent -- he's picked up at least one point in all 14 of his team's game during the fall semester.

Their leading scorer aside, the Saints have also received an offensive boost from a trio of rookie forwards. BCIHL goals leader Derek McPhail has proven to be a savvy pick-up from the SIJHL's Dryden Ice Dogs, as has NCJAA transfer Parker Sharp, who sits tied for fifth in the league in points. Local forward Brandon Sookro has enjoyed a successful homecoming following three seasons in the SJHL.

Also back on track is third-year forward Dane Feeney, whose absence was felt last season when he missed eight regular season games as well as the Saints' first round playoff series against TWU. Feeney has 14 points through 14 games this fall and 52 in 53 games overall.

Meanwhile, the Saints blueline is a blend of veterans and rookies who have combined to allow just 28 shots per game on average. Second-year man Seth Schmidt is the group's offensive catalyst, while new additions Parker Wakaruk and Brayden McCartney have settled in quickly as BCIHL regulars.

Selkirk's last line of defence has also been stellar, with veteran Brett Huber and local rookie Patrick Zubick splitting duties and delivering outstanding results.

Zubick's 2.16 goals-against average and .924 save-percentage are both tops amongst BCIHL netminders who have appeared in four or more games, while Huber's 2.24 and .920 totals are close behind. One of the interesting side-plots of the second half of the season will be seeing which of the two earns the starting job heading into playoffs.

There will be little opportunity to ease their way back into the swing of things come January, as the Saints open the semester with a pair of home games against second place Trinity Western. It was the Spartans who broke Selkirk's 10-game winning streak in November and who best compare statistically to the four-time champs.

After a home-heavy January schedule that ends with a visit from Simon Fraser on the 27th, the Saints will play four-straight away from home in February. That stretch is highlighted by a two-game Lower Mainland road swing to face TWU and SFU that could well serve as a last-minute fight for top spot in the BCIHL standings.

MIDSEASON AT A GLANCE - SELKIRK COLLEGE

Record: 11-2-0-1 (1st place)
Goals For: 63 (1st)
Goals Against: 32 (2nd)
Power Play: 26.19% (1st)
Penalty Kill: 88.04% (1st)

Goals Leader: Derek McPhail (12)
Assists Leader: Dallas Calvin (20)
Points Leader: Dallas Calvin (17)
PIM Leader: Logan Kerner (51)