Spartans set to honour 5 seniors before final regular season contest at LEC

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Trinity Western University will play its final regular season home game at the Langley Events Centre this Saturday as the Spartans host Selkirk College.

The Spartans (13-7-0-2) will host the Saints (14-4-0-3) still with the chance of catching Selkirk for second place in the BCIHL standings, which comes with home ice advantage for the first round of the post-season.

However, with only two games remaining on the Spartans schedule, Saturday’s game is a must-win if they are to track down the Saints.

The Spartans will honour five graduating seniors – Ryan Bakken, PJ Buys, Blair Murphy, Jamie Russell and Mattias Schmitt – in a special pre-game ceremony.

WEEKEND PREVIEW
Saturday, Feb. 27 @ Selkirk – 7 p.m.
Watch here: http://bcihl.fasthockey.com

TRINITY WESTERN SPARTANS (13-7-0-2)
BCIHL Standings: 3rd
Last game: Eastern Washington (3-2 W, 7-1 W)
BCIHL Streak: 2 wins
BCIHL Form: L-L-L-W-W 2014-15
BCIHL Regular Season Record: 17-5-0-2 (1st)
2014-15 BCHIL Playoff Record: 0-2 (lost in BCIHL semifinal)

SPARTANS NOTES
· The Spartans are coming off their most convincing win of the season as they capped a two-game weekend sweep of Eastern Washington on the road with a 7-1 win last Saturday. TWU scored six goals in the second period to record its best offensive output of the season.
· If TWU has any hopes of moving into second place and earning that coveted first round home-ice advantage, the Spartans will likely have to win both of their final two games, starting with a must-win Saturday. A loss to Selkirk ensures TWU will finish third in the BCIHL standings.
· With a two-assist night last Saturday, Mattias Schmitt became the Spartans all-time leading scorer, with 72 points, including 28 goals and 44 assists. He moved ahead of MacKnee, who had 71 career points, including 30 goals and 41 assists in 50 games from 2007 to 2009.
· The last time TWU and Selkirk played, the Spartans won 3-2 in overtime, with Jamie Russell scoring the winning goal.
· Schmitt leads TWU in scoring with seven goals and 19 assists in 22 games.
· Jamie Russell hasn’t missed a single game in his four-year career with TWU, playing in all 94 regular season games so far.
· TWU is 3-2 against the Saints this season. The Spartans won 4-2 in early December in the teams’ only meeting at the LEC this year.
· The Spartans power play on home ice leads the league at 20.4 per cent.

SELKIRK SAINTS (14-4-0-3)
BCIHL Standings: 2nd
Last game: Simon Fraser (4-3 W, 3-2 L (SO))
BCIHL Streak: 1 loss
BCIHL Form: L-W-W-W-L
2014-15 BCIHL Regular Season Record: 13-8-0-3 (2nd)
2014-15 BCIHL Playoff Record: 4-0 (BCIHL Champions)

SAINTS NOTES
· With three games remaining on their schedule and sitting just one point behind first place Simon Fraser, who have just two games left, the Saints have control of their own destiny. If Selkirk can win out, the Saints will take top spot in the regular season standings.
· Selkirk is coming off a weekend series with SFU in which they won 4-3 before dropping a 3-2 shootout decision.
· Rookie Dallas Calvin, who played Junior A hockey in both Trail and Vernon, leads Selkirk in scoring and is second in the league with 17 goals and 15 assists in 20 games.
· The Saints power play leads the league at 24.5 per cent.
· Selkirk’s power play on the road is working at a league-best 33.3 per cent.
· The Saints road penalty kill is first in the league at 87.8 per cent.