2019–20 BCHL season explained

2019–20 BCHL Season
Color:
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League:British Columbia Hockey League
Sport:Hockey
Duration:Regular season
6 September 2019 – 23 February 2020
Playoffs
28 February 2020 – 13 March 2020
Finals:Fred Page Cup
Finals Champ:Not awarded
No Of Teams:17
Seasonslist:List of BCHL seasons
Seasonslistnames:BCHL
Prevseason Link:2018–19 BCHL season
Prevseason Year:2018–19
Nextseason Link:2020–21 BCHL season
Nextseason Year:2020–21

The 2019–20 BCHL season was the 58th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The seventeen teams from the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions played 58-game schedules. The 2019 BCHL Showcase Festival occurred shortly after the start of the season, on October 2–3, 2019, in Chilliwack and October 4–5, 2019, in Penticton.[1]

In March, teams began playing for the Fred Page Cup, the BCHL championship. However, Hockey Canada cancelled the remainder of the Junior A hockey season in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic the day the second round was to get underway.[2] As a result, the BCHL did not award the Fred Page Cup for the first time in its 58-year history.

League changes

There were no changes to the league alignment or schedule from the previous season. The league did adopt a new rule allowing the attacking team to choose which side they want to take a faceoff after an icing or penalty call.[3]

Standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points
Final standings:[4]

Island Division
Nanaimo Clippers 58 37 17 4 78
Cowichan Valley Capitals 58 35 16 7 77
Powell River Kings 58 29 23 6 64
Alberni Valley Bulldogs 58 26 28 4 56
Victoria Grizzlies 58 24 33 1 49
Mainland Division
Coquitlam Express 58 47 9 2 96
Chilliwack Chiefs 58 26 21 11 63
Surrey Eagles 58 27 23 8 62
Langley Rivermen 58 23 31 4 50
Prince George Spruce Kings 58 18 32 8 44
Interior Division
Penticton Vees 58 44 12 2 90
Trail Smoke Eaters 58 36 17 5 77
Salmon Arm Silverbacks 58 30 23 5 65
Wenatchee Wild 58 30 23 5 65
Vernon Vipers 58 30 24 4 64
West Kelowna Warriors 58 16 33 9 41
Merritt Centennials 58 14 40 4 32

Post-season

2020 BCHL Fred Page Cup playoffs

Cancellation of 2020 playoffs

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[5] North American sports leagues began suspending their seasons on 11 March 2020. The National Hockey League officially suspended the remainder of the season on 12 March 2020,[6] which was followed by Hockey Canada suspending all sanctioned hockey activities in the country later that day.[7] On 13 March 2020, the Canadian Junior Hockey League, in which the BCHL is a member, cancelled the remainder of the 2019–20 CJHL season, which meant the Fred Page Cup playoffs would not be finished, and both the Doyle Cup and Centennial Cup would not be contested. It is the only time in the history of the BCHL that the season ended without crowning a champion.

Scoring leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, P = Points, PIM = Penalties In Minutes

PlayerTeamGPGAPtsPIM
Kent JohnsonTrail Smoke Eaters52416010114
Cristophe TellierSurrey Eagles5828437149
Michael ColellaTrail Smoke Eaters5827416828
Owen OzarTrail Smoke Eaters5426406681
Jay O'BrienPenticton Vees4625416651
Matt KowalskiVernon Vipers5826366220
David SilyePenticton Vees5820426228
Hudson SchandorSurrey Eagles5625366136
Greg LapointeCoquitlam Express5629316048
Danny WeightPenticton Vees5825356059

Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games Played, Mins = Minutes Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, GA = Goals Against, SO = Shutouts, Sv% = Save Percentage, GAA = Goals Against Average.

PlayerTeamGPMinsWLOTLGASOSv%GAA
Clay StevensonCoquitlam Express3520673021614.9361.77
Jordon NaylorNanaimo Clippers4124613092836.9352.02
Yaniv PeretsPenticton Vees3721652581795.9182.19
Logan TernessTrail Smoke Eaters44244527102961.9322.36
Zach BorgielCowichan Valley Capitals442562261231094.9232.55

Award winners

Players selected in 2020 NHL Entry Draft

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: BCHL Re-Launches Showcase Event for 2019 . BCHL . July 3, 2019.
  2. Web site: CJHL Announces Official Cancellation for Remainder of 2019-20 season . 13 March 2020 . CJHL.
  3. Web site: NEW EVENTS, INITIATIVES HIGHLIGHT 2019-20 BCHL SEASON . BCHL . 16 September 2019.
  4. Web site: BCHL Standings . BCHL . 24 February 2020.
  5. Web site: WHO Declares A Pandemic of Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 . Washington Post . 11 March 2020 . 14 March 2020.
  6. Web site: NHL to Pause Season Due to Coronavirus . NHL . 12 March 2020 . 14 March 2020.
  7. Web site: HOCKEY CANADA STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) . Hockey Canada . 12 March 2020 . 14 March 2020.