The reigning Stonehouse Cup champion Ridge Meadows Flames get a well-earned breather before they begin their defence of the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship.
And then there is the unfinished business at the Mowat Cup, awarded to the Junior A hockey champs in B.C.. The Flames played in that tourney last year, but came up short.
Ridge wrapped up their regular season campaign with another great weekend – they beat the Port Moody Panthers 6-0 on Friday night, Feb. 7, at Cam Neely Arena, and then finished Saturday with a 6-2 win in Langley.
The weekend victories gave them a 15-game win streak to end the year on – they haven't lost since before Christmas. The Flames finished first in the PJHL with a team record 42 wins in 48 games, with just four losses, an overtime loss, and a shootout loss. That gave them 86 points on the season – well ahead of second-place Chilliwack who finished 39-9.
"I've got a lot of pride in the players for being able to accomplish that," said GM Derek Bedard.
"We feel very good with the team we have ,and the experience, and the hunger to win again."
Zack Lagrange buried an empty netter with five seconds left in the season to give him 44 goals and a league best 106 points in 48 games.
The Flames had three players among the PJHL's top 10 scorers. Nolan Bowsher had 33 goals and 85 points to finish fifth, and Theo Kochan tied for sixth placed with 39 goals and 84 points in only 42 games.
Team captain Lukas Ravenstein had 24 goals and 68 points, which was the most ever by a defenceman in the PJHL. Second to him was teammate Jakob Loewen with 10 goals and 54 points.
They have great players at every position. Flames goaltender Josh Vallee was perfect on 17 shots on Friday night, giving the rookie a league-best five shutouts on the season, to go with a record of 17-1-1, a .928 save percentage and a 1.50 goals against average. Veteran Matthew Candusso went 25-3 with a 0.916 save percentage and a 2.19 GAA – giving the Flames the top two goaltenders in that category. Candusso had four shutouts.
Bedard notes the league records may not be perfect, but the Flames are also believed to be the first team to score 300 goals – they finished with 318, while allowing just 92 against.
Their power play was also the league's best ever, finishing at 37.1 per cent, and their penalty kill operated at a league best 92.7 per cent.
"It's been another speical year," said Bedard. "It's a culmination of hard work put in during years prior."
Now Bedard expects his club to refocus on playoff hockey. The Langley Trappers and Surrey Knights will play a three-game survivor series, with the winner meeting the Flames in a best-of-seven series starting the week of Feb. 17.
Bedard said game times for that series will be announces as soon as it can be scheduled.
