Following last weekend’s split with Trinity Western University and Selkirk College, the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack will host Simon Fraser University in a pair of games on Friday and Saturday at Kamloops Memorial Arena.
SFU will arrive in Kamloops with sole possession of first place in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League after defeating Selkirk College 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday night. The Clan currently holds a 12-3 record with a one point edge over second place Selkirk.
TRU will be looking for a return to form from their previous matchup against SFU on January 11, when they recorded a 3-1 victory over the Clan at the Bill Copeland Sports Center.
"I really like our match-up when we are totally healthy, but at this present point in time we have a number of players out with injury," says head coach Don Schulz. "I still like our chances and I think team speed-wise is something that's in our favour. We will have to match our work ethic and play much like we did in our victory down there."
The 'Pack have been no stranger to injury in the second half of the BCIHL season. Thompson Rivers will once again be without key players in this weekend’s lineup, including defenceman Ryan Cuthbert.
SFU is led offensively by the league's top two scorers in Nick Sandor and Jono Ceci, who have combined for 65 points. Not far behind are TRU's Josh Macdonald, Duncan Schulz and Tyler Berkholtz, who sit third, fourth, and seventh in league scoring.
"This is arguably the biggest weekend of the year," says Schulz. "First place is on the line and this weekend will greatly influence where we are going to finish in the standings. If we have any intentions on finishing first then we have to come out on top."
"It's a huge challenge, a huge task for us and we are kind of limping into it a bit in terms of injury but hopefully we will have enough of a lineup to do the job."
The WolfPack and Clan will face-off at 8:30 PM on Friday and 8:00 PM on Saturday.
VICTORIA
SIMON FRASER
OKANAGAN
LOGAN LAKE
VANCOUVER ISLAN.
