Wild Unveils Inaugural BCHL Schedule

Wenatchee, WA. -- The Wenatchee Wild has released it's regular season schedule for the 2015-2016 season, it's first as a member of the British Columbia Hockey League.

The Wild will play 58 games this season, 28 home and 28 away, as well as two games in the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack September 24th through 27th. 

The BCHL will play a full interlocking schedule, with each team hosting, then playing at each other team. Teams will play two games against each out-of-division team, with the bulk of the schedule being played against division rivals. The league schedule totals 493 games.

The Wild's schedule with begin with a pair of games at the Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday and Saturday, September 11th and 12th. The team will open it's home schedule on Saturday, October 10th at the Town Toyota Center against the Coquitlam Express. Wild Coach/General Manager Bliss Littler says "I think our fans will like the idea that they will get to see every team in the league play in our building."

The full Wenatchee Wild schedule can be viewed by clicking here.

Season seats for Wild home games are on sale now. Call the team at 509-888-7825 for more information. Once again, all games will be broadcast on 560 KPQ with streaming video available at Fasthockey.com. All games, home and away, will be called live, on scene, with the Voice of the Wild, John Meissner calling the play-by-play.

WILD 2.0 UPGRADE

Riders lose Durant in opening home loss to Winnipeg

The Saskatchewan Roughriders opened the 2015 Canadian Football League season at home Saturday night against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, suffering three key injuries including quarterback Darian Durant, then gave up the lead late, in a 30-26 loss at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, in front of 32,228 fans.

Saskatchewan opened the game with a good mix of runs and short passes, plus a third down conversion just across centrefield. However, the drive stalled there and the Riders were forced to punt the ball away. Winnipeg would take the ball and quickly move upfield themselves, but a [penalty and a John Chick sack killed the drive, forcing the Blue Bombers to punt. Winnipeg would get the ball back late and score the game's first major, on a 6 yard Drew Willy pass to Paris Cotton, swinging over the middle out of the backfield. Lirim Hajrullahu kicked the convert and the Bombers were up 7-0, with just 47 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Saskatchewan would strike quickly in the second quarter, as Durant found Taj Smith over the middle. Smith, moving left to right, would take the ball and go 36 yards for the score. Chris Milo converted and with 1:38 gone in the second, the game was tied 7-7. An illegal block negated a 63 yard punt return major for Winnipeg, but the Bombers would regain the lead late in the half, as Cameron Marshall would blow it in from 2 yards out. Hajrullahu would add the convert to cap a 10 play, 75 yard, 4 minute 30 second drive. The score would give Winnipeg a 14-7 lead. Hajrullahu would add a single on the ensuing kickoff, nailing the coffin corner for a 15-7 lead with 2:06 to play in the half. Durant would respond for the Riders, as Durant would find a streaking Ryan Smith down the middle with a 53 yard bomb, thrown right on the money. Milo's convert with 1:28 to play in the second, cut the Winnipeg lead to one, at 15-14.

Saskatchewan would take take the lead as Jerome Messam would squeeze past right guard and rumble 53 yards for a touchdown. Kevin Glenn, in for an injured Durant, would toss a two-point conversion to Ryan Getzlaf and with 1:09 played in the second half, the Roughriders were up by 7, at 22-15. Saskatchewan's run game would continue to impress, as Anthony Allen would rumble 47 yards to midfield on the first play of their next possession. The drive would end with a 35 yard missed field goal single from Milo, putting the Riders up 23-15, with 6:21 to go in the third. The Blue Bombers would drive for the equalizing score on the next possession, with Willy hitting Marshall for a 14 yard score. Marshall would add the 2 point convert, tying the game 23-23, with 2:58 left in the third.

Saskatchewan would regain the lead 5:01 into the fourth, as Milo would kick a 19 yard field foal, putting the Riders back on top, 26-23. Winnipeg would quickly respond, driving into scoring territory. And they would take advantage, as Willy would find Nick Moore for an 18 yard major. Hajrullahu would add the point after, putting the Blue Bombers back on top 30-26, with 7:01 left in regulation time.  Saskatchewan wasn't able to answer and Winnipeg ran out the clock, holding on for the 30-26 win.

For the Roughriders, both Durant and Glenn were 13-for-18 passing, with Durant throwing for 165 yards and 2 scores, while Glenn threw for 120 yards and a pick. Anthony Allen ran 11 times for 102 yards, Jerome Messam had 4 carries for 75 yards and a major. On the receiving end, Ryan Smith had 3 catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Taj Smith had 2 catches for 44 yards and a major. Ryan Getzlaf caught a two-point convert. Chris Milo was 1 for 2 on field goals, 2 for 2 on converts and had a single. Ray Early punted 4 times for a 48 yard average and on defence, Telvion Clark had 10 tackles and 1 special teams tackle.

For the victorious Blue Bombers, Drew Willy was 22-of-25 passing for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns. Paris Cotton rushed 13 times for 108 yards. Cameron Marshall rushed for a major. Clarence Denmark caught 5 passes for 94 yards, while Nick Moore, Cotton and Marshall each caught a touchdown pass. In the kicking game, Lirim Hajrullahu kicked 3 converts and a kickoff single, while punting 5 times for a 41.8 yard average. Matt Bucknor, Khalil Bass, Demond Washington and Bruce Johnson each made 5 tackles on defence.

The Winnipeg victory was their first in Regina since September 5th, 2004 and snapped an 11 game losing streak at Mosaic Stadium. And after the game, the Riders confirmed that Darian Durant will be out for the season with a ruptured achilles.

Saskatchewan, 0-1 on the season, next plays on Sunday, July 5th at home against the 1-0 Toronto Argonauts. Kickoff at Mosaic Stadium is set for 12:30pm PDT, on 620 CKRM, the Rider Radio Network, TSN in Canada and ESPN3.com in the U.S. 1-0 Winnipeg next plays on Thursday, July 2nd at home against the 0-1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

A message for Wenatchee Wild fans

WENATCHEE WILD FANS...
THE BCHL SCHEDULE IS ALMOST COMPLETE!

The new schedule should be out next week. Shortly thereafter we will be sending out for the new season ticket holder books.

It is very important that you put a deposit on your season tickets if you haven't already. Sometimes people aren't getting these emails so if you can remind your friends that would be great and tell them to call us at 888-7825 to give us their emails and we will put them in the system.

There are a lot of new season ticket buyers that are waiting to see if seats open up so please contact us as soon as you can, and remember that a minimum of $50 will hold your seats.

Also, starting July 1st when you pay by credit card there will be a 3% fee added that is mandated by the credit card companies.

You can also mail us checks or money orders to the Wenatchee Wild at 1300 Walla Walla Ave. Wenatchee Wa 98801

It is going to be an INCREDIBLE YEAR as we debut in the BCHL and you will want to be a part of this magical season!!!!!!

-Don West

BCHL announces showcase schedule

The matchups are all set for the fourth Bauer BCHL Showcase happening Sept. 24 to 27 at Prospera Centre in Chilliwack.

All 17 BCHL teams come to one venue with 17 games being held over the four days. To view the schedule, CLICK HERE

The Showcase host Chilliwack Chiefs play feature games on Friday and Saturday night, both 7:30 p.m. starts. The defending league champion Penticton Vees play at 4 p.m. on Thursday and then face the Chiefs Friday night.

The secondary rink at Prospera Centre, which was not supposed to be used this year, becomes necessary for one game as the Wenatchee Wild have joined the BCHL. The Wild will play the Vernon Vipers on the secondary sheet of ice on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

About 200 scouts from the college and professional ranks are expected to attend this year's Showcase. 

Showcase tickets wil go on sale to the public Sept. 1

Over the last three seasons, since the Showcase began, the BCHL has averaged 137 players with college commitments and this past season, there were 247 BCHL graduates playing NCAA Div. I hockey (LIST). There have also been 12 BCHL players selected in the two NHL Entry Drafts since the first Showcase was held. There are five current BCHL players listed by NHL Central Scouting leading into this year's Draft.

Clippers voice earns BCHL Broadcaster of the Year Award

For the second time in four seasons, Nanaimo Clippers play-by-play voice Dan Marshall has been named the BCHL Broadcaster of the Year.
 
In addition to calling all Clippers regular-season and playoff games - 81 nights this season - Marshall hosts a Monday night program covering the Clippers and the BCHL on Nanaimo’s 106.9 The Wolf. He also produced Clippers player features and handled play-by-play work for Shaw TV Nanaimo
 
A 15-year BCHL broadcasting veteran and a native of Coquitlam, Marshall was chosen following a poll of broadcasters around the league.
 
“It’s one of the most memorable seasons I’ve had; there were two Game 7s in the playoffs plus getting to call the Finals,” said Marshall. “The BCHL broadcasters as a group are a bunch of guys I respect; any time your peers are able to recognize you, it means a lot.”

During his tenure, Marshall has achieved a level of play-by-play proficiency not reached by many broadcasters. His distinctive and thorough style brings listeners into the game.

"Dan's an extremely talented person and he's excellent at what he does," said BCHL communications director Brent Mutis. "But beyond that, he puts in the effort to make sure he's always prepared for the job at hand. The fans of Nanaimo are lucky to be able to listen to him on a regular basis."

Marshall credits those around him for the accolade as well.
 
“We have a bunch of writers, producers and reporters that put in a ton of leg work on our broadcasts, so I think this is a reflection of their work too. I’m happy for the whole team at The Wolf.”
 
Marshall got his start in BCHL play-by-play in the 2000-01 season with the Penticton Panthers who were led by a young Duncan Keith. He called Panthers and Vees games for seven seasons before going to Nanaimo where he’s been for the last eight campaigns. He’s been to three BCHL Finals and was also named the league’s top broadcaster in 2012.

Welcome to the BCHL!

Hello there hockey fans, wherever you may be. I'm John Meissner, the newly-minted radio voice of the Wenatchee Wild (Here's the press release to prove it!), now entering our first season in the British Columbia Hockey League.

This blog will bring you the latest information, plus some facts and figures about the BCHL, one of the most highly respected junior hockey leagues in North America. With that said, let's drop the puck and get into some exciting BCHL/Wenatchee Wild hockey action. Ohhhhhhh Baby!

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The league's roots date back to 1961, when groups representing four teams, from Kelowna, Kamloops, Penticton and Vernon gathered in Vernon to form what was then known as the Okanogan-Mainline Junior Hockey League.

With the addition of teams in New Westminster and Victoria in the early 70s, the league changed it's name to the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

Since those humble beginnings in Vernon, teams have come and gone, but with the addition of the Wenatchee Wild, the circuits' first American-based team since the Bellingham Ice Hawks left in 1995, the BCHL numbers 17 strong and competitive teams, playing in three seperate divisions. Member teams play for the Fred Page Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Royal Bank Cup (To be held in 2016 in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan).

BCHL games can be followed on the league's website, bchl.ca, on local radio in each teams' market, with live streaming video available at fasthockey.com.

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The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are members of the BCHL's Island Division, based in Port Alberni, where they've played since moving from Burnaby in 2002.

The Bulldogs play in the Weyerhaeuser Arena and won the Coastal Division title in 2010.. Earlier this off-season, three alumni signed NHL contracts within a one-month period.

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The Chilliwack Chiefs play in the beautiful Propsera Centre, joining the BCHL in 2011, after the city's WHL team relocated to Victoria. The franchise started out in Quesnel, playing as the Millionaires from 1975 through 2011 The franchise originated as part of the Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League, joining the BCHL in 1996. Chilliwack is the defending Mainland Division Champion.

The Chiefs will again host the league showcase, to be played September 24th through the 27th.

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The Coquitlam Express play in the Mainland Division. The team originated in Coquitlam in 2001, moving to Burnaby in 2005. The team moved back to Coquitlam in 2010.

Coquitlam won the RBC Cup in 2006. Some of their more well-known alumni include Kyle Turris, Milan Lucic and Patrick Wiercioch.

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The Cowichan Valley Capitals compete in the Island Division and are based in Duncan, British Columbia. The team has had two seperate runs in the area, the first beginning in 1980 and the second in 1988. They've won two division titles and have featured such players as Geoff Courtnall, Dean Evason and Dan Hodgson.

The Caps play in the Island Savings Centre, affectionately known as The Stick. The rink features a Hall of Fame, as well as what's touted to be the world's largest hockey stick and puck.

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The Langley Rivermen began as the Chilliwack Chiefs in 1990 and moved to Langley in 2006, after being forced out of Chilliwack by the Western Hockey League. They became the Rivermen in 2011. The Mainland Division club last won the division title in 2014.

Langley, which plays in the 5,276 seat Langley Events Centre, boasts Ron Greschner, Shawn Horcoff and Jeff Tambellini as some of their more well-known alumni.

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The Merritt Centennials were founded in 1961, having played in Kamloops and White Rock, before locating to Merritt in 1973. They are the BCHL's longest-running franchise. They play in the Interior Division.

Jeff Bandura, Link Gaetz, Paul Mulvey and Don Nachbaur are some of the team's more well-known alumni.

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The Nanaimo Clippers play in the BCHL's Island Division. They first began play in 1972, spent one year in Esquimalt when displaced by the city's short-lived Western Hockey League franchise, returning in 1983.The Clippers have won four Fred Page Cups and hosted the Royal Bank Cup in 1998,

The Clippers, who play their Island Division home games in the 3,000 seat Frank Crane Arena, have boasted alumni such as Mel Bridgman, Paul Cyr, Jason Garrison, Al Hill, Gary Lupul, Barry Pedersen and the Robertsons, Geordi and Torrie.

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The Penticton Vees were formed in 1961, taking the name of the city's existing senior team. According to the team's wikipedia page, the name Vees, has nothing to do with the word Victory, but rather stands for three types of peaches grown in the area. They play in the Interior Division.

The Vees won the 2012 RBC Cup and have had 35 former players move on to the National Hockey League.

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The Powell River Kings joined the BCHL as the Paper Kings in 1988, dropping the Paper from their name in 1998. The franchise played in Abbotsford and Delta before relocating to Powell River.

The Kings play in the Island Division and claim seven division crowns, making it to the league finals seven times as well. Hap Parker Arena is their home ice. Willie Mitchell, Brad Bombadir, and Cory Clouston have all played for the Kings.

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The Prince George Spruce Kings were formed in 1972, keeping the same name and market the entire time. Besides the Peace-Cariboo league and the BCHL, they have also been members of the Rocky Mountain League. They play in the Mainland Division.

The Spruce Kings hosted the Royal Bank Cup in 2007, winning the semi-final over Camrose in quintuple overtime, before losing the final.

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The Salmon Arm Silverbacks play in the BCHL's Interior Division, taking the division pennant in 2004.

The Silverbacks were formed in 2001 and play their home games in the Shaw Centre. The Preident/General Manager is former WHL star Troy Mick.

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The Surrey Eagles began BCHL play in 1988 as the New Westminster Royals, moving to Surrey in 1991. They have won ten division crowns and last won the Mainland Division title in 2013. They also won the Fred Page and Western Canada Cups that same year. They've won the Fred Page Cup three other times as well.

Scott Gomez, Scott Hannan, Rick Lanz, Jack McIlhargey, John Olver and Cliff Ronning are some of the team's more well-known alumni.

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The Trail Smoke Eaters boast one of the more well known names in amateur hockey, as their former senior team represented Canada at the World's Championships, winning the World title in 1961. A hockey team in Trail first called themselves the Smoke Eaters in the1920s.

The Junior level Smokies began play in 1926 and won 22 Mowat Cups over a 29 year stretch. They purchased the Bellingham Ice Hawks franchise and joined the BCHL in 1995. They have competed in the Interior Division ever since.

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BCHL hockey has been played in Vernon, the founding city of the league, since 1961. Duncan Wray, the leagu's chairman, is the team's owner.

The teaam has been known as the Junior Canadians, Blades, Essos, Vikings, Lakers and Rockets, before becoming the Vipers in 1995. They've won the BCHL's playoff crown 12 times. They have won the Centennial or RBC Cup a record six times.

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There's good news from the Grizzlies camp, as the team just recently signed a five-year extension of their lease with the Q Centre, formerly known as the Bear Mountain Arena.

Victoria first played in the BCHL as the Cougers in 1967through 1971. They were known as the Warriors from 1990 to 1993, the Salsa from 1994 through 2006 and have been known as the Grizzlies ever since. They hosted the RBC Cup in 2009. The Island Division squad's last division title came in 2014.

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The Wenatchee Wild are prepping for their first season in the BCHL, having been members of the North American Hockey League since since 2008. The team won three division titles, played in the league final twice and have had a winning record every year of their existance. They will play in the Mainland Division in 2015-16. Their home games are played in the 4,300 seat Town Toyota Center, with an average per-game attendance of nearly 3,000.

The Head Coach/General Manager of the team is Bliss Littler, the winningest Junior coach in the history of Junior hockey. Coach Littler is assisted by Tom Rudrud and Chris Clark, with Pepe Sandoval as the athletic trainer. The current franchise moved from Fresno, California in time for the 2013-14 season, after the original franchise moved to Texas. All Wild games, home and away, can be heard this season on 560 KPQ radio.

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The West Kelowna Warriors moved from Langley in 2006 and were originally known as the Westside Warriors, adopting the name West Kelowna in 2012.

The team played as the Langley Thunder from 1994 to 1998, the Langley Hornets from 1998 to 2006 and the Westside Warriors from 2006 through 2012.

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And that's all for now. See you soon with more BCHL News and notes.