Road to the 2018 RBC Cup: Chilliwack Chiefs

After an up-and-down regular season and a quick exit in the playoffs, the hosts welcome the nation.

Jason La Rose

To say the Road to the RBC Cup has had its twists and turns for the host Chilliwack Chiefs would be a bit of an understatement.

Fresh off back-to-back appearances in the BCHL final, and after coming within just one win of a trip to the national championship last year, hopes were high in Chilliwack. But the team won just one of its first eight games as it struggled to a .500 regular season before being bounced in seven games by Prince George in the first round of the playoffs.

Making their first appearance at the RBC Cup since 2002, the Chiefs will have a new voice behind the bench when the puck drops, 62 days after their abbreviated playoff run came to an end.

HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK

British Columbia Hockey League
Preliminary round: lost to Prince George 4-3 (3-0, 0-2, 1-2 OT, 3-2, 2-3 OT, 6-1, 1-3)

REGULAR SEASON

Record: 26-26-3-3 (12th in BCHL)
Goals for: 170 (T-12th in BCHL)
Goals against: 183 (T-8th in BCHL)
Power play: 42 for 266 (15.8% – 13th in BCHL)
Penalty killing: 263 of 311 (84.6% – 4th in BCHL)
Longest winning streak: 3 (accomplished six times)
Top 3 scorers:
Will Calverley (18G 28A 46P – 41st in BCHL)
Tommy Lee (18G 23A 41P – 56th in BCHL)
Corey Andonovski (16G 22A 38P – 74th in BCHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 3-4
Goals for: 16
Goals against: 13
Power play: 4 for 23 (17.4%)
Penalty killing: 23 of 24 (95.8%)
Top 3 scorers:
Bryan Allbee (3G 3A 6P)
P.J. Marrocco (2G 1A 3P)
Adam Berg (1G 2A 3P)

NATIONAL JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2002 | Chilliwack Chiefs | 3-2 – 28GF 18GA | 3rd place
2000 | Chilliwack Chiefs | 3-3 – 22GF 20GA | 3rd place

CJHL NATIONAL RANKINGS – WEEK-BY-WEEK

Preseason – 6th
Sept. 25 – NR
Oct. 2 – NR
Oct. 9 – NR
Oct. 16 – NR
Oct. 23 – NR
Oct. 30 – NR
Nov. 6 – NR
Nov. 13 – NR
Nov. 20 – NR
Nov. 27 – NR
Dec. 4 – NR
Dec. 11 – NR
Dec. 18 – NR
Jan. 8 – NR
Jan. 15 – NR
Jan. 22 – NR
Jan. 29 – NR
Feb. 5 – NR
Feb. 12 – NR
Feb. 19 – NR
Feb. 26 – NR
March 5 – NR

COMMITMENTS

Corey Andonovski – Princeton University (2018-19)
Harrison Blaisdell – University of North Dakota (2020-21)
Skyler Brind’Amour – Michigan State University (2019-20)
Will Calverley – Rochester Institute of Technology (2018-19)
Powell Connor – Michigan State University (2019-20)
Jake Gresh – University of Alaska Fairbanks (2018-19)
Tommy Lee – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (2018-19)
P.J. Marrocco – Arizona State University (2018-19)
Ryan Miotto – Canisius College (2019-20)
Kaden Pickering – St. Lawrence University (2018-19)
Matt Slick – College of the Holy Cross (2019-20)
Anthony Vincent – College of the Holy Cross (2018-19)