Simon Fraser set for home opener vs. Saints after successful road swing

With two road wins to start the regular season, Simon Fraser University makes their home debut this Saturday in a rematch of last Saturday’s game against Selkirk College.

On Friday, the Clan beat Eastern Washington 3-1 to win their first regular season game, while Saturday night, they beat Selkirk College 3-2 in a hard fought game that saw SFU win in Castlegar for the first time since January 12, 2012.

Sophomore forward Mitch Crisanti put up two goals over the weekend, while Adam Callegari, Scott Patterson, Brendan Lamont and Brandon Tidy all added to the scoresheet. Graham Smerek, Tyler Basham and Dustin Cave also added points. Patterson and Callegari lead the team (and the BCIHL) in points with four.

With goaltender Lyndon Stanwood still recovering from an ankle injury, Jordan Liem has carried the load through the pre-season and start of the regular season. Liem recorded a 1.50 GAA and .955 save percentage through opening weekend, and was awarded the BCIHL Player of the Week Award.

This marks the first season that SFU has opened the season 2-0 since the 2013/14 season. Now, the Clan look to carry the momentum through a three game homestand, starting this Saturday.

It won’t be easy against the four-time defending BCIHL Champion Saints, who were thwarted on their BCIHL Championship banner raising night. A tough, physical team, with a penchant for scoring goals, they will be looking to return the favour and spoil SFU’s opening night celebrations. SFU went 3-3 against Selkirk last year, and were 2-1 at home against the Saints.

SFU were outshot 37-31 Saturday, so controlling the pace of play will be key. Despite scoring two power play goals both nights on the opening weekend, they also had seven chances both nights.

Head coach Mark Coletta saw this as something to improve, citing the last stretch of the third period against Selkirk last Saturday, where SFU could have taken advantage of power play opportunities to take a two-goal lead.

“There was a time in the third period, where we should have put them away. We have to work on that, we had three [power plays] in a row where we didn’t get much,” he explained. “But overall, I think the two units are doing a pretty good job, it’s just a matter of finding some chemistry with each other.”

Puck drop is at 7 pm at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. SFU students get in free with student ID. The first 500 fans take home a free SFU Hockey fridge magnet. The game will also be streamed live on FASTHockey.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Brendan Lamont – SFU (1G, 2A, 2GP) (2015/16: 6G, 12A, 23 GP)

An elite scorer in the Junior A BCHL before his freshman season in the BCIHL last year, Lamont looks poised to have a breakout season. Scoring the game-winning goal Saturday night, and putting up assists both nights of the opening weekend, he was named the first star against Selkirk College. Along with an ability to score goals, he also has an ability to agitate the opposition. After Saturday night’s game, Coletta commented, “I think [it] was one of his best games I’ve seen him play since he’s been with us. He was all over the ice, on the forecheck, he was unbelievable. He was a pest out there in the true sense of the word and I don’t think Selkirk could contain him when he was out on the forecheck.”

Dallas Calvin – SEL (0G, 0A, 1GP) (2015/16: 20G, 18A, 23 GP)

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the 2015/16 season was Dallas Calvin’s elite goal scoring touch in just his first season in the league, placing second in both BCIHL points scored and goals scored, behind only Eastern Washington’s Beau Walker. Entering his sophomore year, it will be interesting to see if he can top his rookie season. For a six game goalless stretch from November to January last year, it had seemed that BCIHL teams had figured Calvin out, but finishing the season with eight goals in 10 games, he rose above adversity. Held off the scoresheet Saturday, he will be out there with something to prove. Only five games was he held pointless last season, with three of those coming against SFU.