Weekend Preview: Selkirk looks to tighten grip on first on island road trip

Selkirk College burst out of the gates with a 10-0 record to open the 2017/18 B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League season, but one down weekend has loosened their stranglehold on top spot in the standings.

A regular loss to Trinity Western and an overtime defeat at the hands of SFU on November 17/18 saw the Saints return from a Lower Mainland road swing with just one of a possible four points. That small stumble, combined with a four-game winning streak for the Spartans, has brought TWU within three points of first place.

Selkirk will look to get back on track this weekend when they visit Victoria and Nanaimo in hopes of closing out the calendar year on a high note.

Friday's game against the Vikes represents the fourth meeting between the teams, with the Saints having gotten the better of the defending champs on each occasion. But the closest game of the bunch was also the most recent -- a 3-2 overtime win in Castlegar on November 4th.

Dallas Calvin continues to hold a wide lead in the BCIHL scoring race with 26 points while Derek McPhail, Parker Sharp and Dane Feeney are also sitting amongst the league's top 10 point-getters.

But where the Saints have truly excelled is in their own zone, where they have allowed just 24 goals through 12 games. At that pace, they'll have an opportunity to break the record for the lowest goals-against average in a BCIHL regular season, set by Trinity Western a year ago.

Meanwhile, the Vikes are looking to maintain the momentum gained with last Saturday's overtime victory over Eastern Washington that bumped a long losing skid.

The UVic attack has been led most nights by third-year forward Jack Palmer, whose 12 assists are tied for second-best in the league. He's established a dynamic partnership with linemate Brandon Volpe, who leads the team with seven goals.

Netminder Alec Dillon picked up his second win of the season last weekend after making 40+ stops for the second straight night in Cheney. The former USHL standout has kept the Vikes in the battle on most nights and could be a difference-maker down the stretch.

The Vikes are currently chasing Vancouver Island University for the league's fourth and final playoff spot, with the Islanders holding a five-point lead with the teams even on games played.

The Nanaimo-based squad has exceeded expectations in their inaugural season, having picked up road wins over SFU and TWU as well as four points in rivalry games against their neighbours to the south.

But VIU will be out with something to prove after dropping their most recent game to Trinity Western by an 11-2 score in Langley. That contest saw the Islanders outshot by a lopsided 60-19 margin while allowing a pair of hat tricks to TWU skaters.

A win on Saturday would not only firm up their playoff positioning, it could also bring them level with SFU for third place if the Clan drop their home game to the Spartans.

Friday's game in Victoria is set for a 7:30 PM faceoff, while Saturday's match-up in Nanaimo is scheduled to begin at 4:30 PM. Both games will be broadcast on Hockey TV.