Weekend Preview: Clan hit the road looking to overtake Selkirk for second

Simon Fraser University have been as hot as anyone in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League since the calendar hit 2018, and another strong weekend against Eastern Washington and Selkirk College would reward those efforts with a jump in the standings.

The Clan are 9-1-0-1 in January and February, and those 19 points from 11 games have cut their deficit on second place Selkirk from 11 points to just one in about six weeks. SFU holds a game in hand on the Saints, meaning that a weekend sweep would clinch second and a first round series at home in early March.

SFU and Selkirk are set to meet for the last of five regular season games on Saturday in Castlegar. The teams split their first four meetings, with each picking up two wins and an overtime loss. Their most recent encounter came Friday when the Clan picked up a 4-1 home ice win.

SFU's recent hot streak has been matched by a cold front that has hit Selkirk hard since an 11-2-0-1 start that had the club firmly in first place after the fall semester. The Saints are 1-3 in February and have struggled to pick up results on the road.

One possible explanation involves BCIHL leading scorer Dallas Calvin, who has been a constant focus for opposing defences after averaging more than two points per game in his first 14 contests. Calvin's production has slowed, with two goals and six points to show for seven appearances in 2018.

Meanwhile, the Clan offence has been rolling to the tune of nearly five goals a game in their last seven contests, which has seen them pick up 13 of 14 possible points. The goals have been spread around, but it's impossible to overlook the contributions of newcomer Nick Holowko. The former WHL forward has eight points in six games and has yet to be held off the scoreboard by BCIHL opposition.

On Sunday, SFU will make their final visit to Cheney to face an Eagles squad they've handled with ease in four previous meetings. The Clan have won all four matchups in regulation and hold a 23-11 edge in scoring over the league's sixth place team.

While EWU has struggled overall, they have had two bright lights in the forward combo of Beau Walker and Brett Mathews. Walker leads the BCIHL with 19 goals and sits second in overall scoring, while Mathews is fifth in assists and sixth in points. The duo's 25 combined goals represent more than half their team's total on the year.

Saturday's contest in Castlegar is set for a 4:00 PM start while Sunday's game in Cheney begins at 2:00 PM. Both games will be broadcast on Hockey TV.