Tonight a rivalry gets renewed at the Harry Jerome Rec Centre when the Langley Trappers come to town to take on the Wolf Pack. Tonight marks the second and final regular-season meeting of the season between the top two teams in the PJHL. This will also be the final game of January for North Vancouver.
Langley Trappers
OVERVIEW
Head Coach: Brad Bakken
Record: 30-7-0-1
Home Record: 16-3-0-0
Road Record: 14-4-0-1
Last Game: A 3-2 road victory against the Abbotsford Pilots last night.
Goals For/Goals Against: 162 GF/93 GA (+69)
Power Play: 38/145 (26.21%)
Penalty Kill: 21/117 (82.05%)
Leading Scorers: Jamie Hylands (38GP – 22G – 23A – 45PTS), Ryan Tong (36GP – 15G – 27A – 42PTS), Brendan O’Grady (35GP – 17G – 23A – 40PTS)
SUP RYAN?
Ryan Tong, a 2002-born defenceman, has had a great first season in the PJHL. The 6’0″, 165-pound product of Burnaby, BC comes into the weekend with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points through 36 games, along with 26 penalty minutes and seven Power Play goals. Tong was traded from Port Moody leading up to the trade deadline and has played in seven games with the Trappers and has recorded nine points (5G, 4A) in that time. Having played the Wolf Pack six times as a member of the Panthers, Tong recorded one goal and four assists. Tony will get to take on the Wolf Pack for a seventh time this season, but this will be his first as a Trappers player.
NEWS FOR THE P’APPER’
The battle for top of the league commences tonight, as Langley comes to visit North Vancouver. The Trappers are looking to extend the team’s win streak to 8. The Trappers look to take advantage of being the ‘home team’. With a record of 30-7-0-1 and 61 points the Trappers are first in the Harold Britain Conference and currently sit in second place in the PJHL, three points behind the Wolf Pack with three games at hand.
NORTH VANCOUVER WOLF PACK
OVERVIEW
Head Coach: Matt Samson
Record: 30-7-3-1
Away Record: 17-4-0-0
Home Record: 13-3-3-1
Last Game: A 5-2 victory in Delta on Tuesday night.
Goals For/Goals Against: 164 GF/101 GA (+63)
Power Play: 37/177 (20.9%)
Penalty Kill: 20/154 (87.01%)
Leading Scorers: David Coyle (40GP – 28G – 30A – 58PTS), JJ Pickell (41GP – 28G – 27A – 55PTS), Ryan Hunter (41GP – 14G – 31A – 45PTS)
THE ‘HUNT’ PAYS OFF
On Monday afternoon, Wolf Pack forward and alternate captain Ryan Hunter was named the Popeyes player of the month for December and January.
Hunter has scored 8 goals and has recorded 6 assists for 14 points in 14 games since December! Hunter has had four multi-point games in that span and was named the first star of the game in last Sunday’s 4-2 road victory against the Steelers. Hunter scored the first goal and the last goal of the hockey game for a total of two goals.
Hunter is in his second season with the Wolf Pack and sits third on his team in scoring with 14 goals and 31 assists for 45 points in 41 games.
WE’RE ONLY ONE POINT AWAY
The North Vancouver Wolf Pack have already played seven games this month and only have a total of three more games to play until the playoffs start in February!
The North Vancouver Wolf Pack with a current record of 30-7-3-1 and 64 points have clinched a spot in the PJHL Playoffs and are only one point away from finishing first in the Tom Shaw Conference.
FINAL WORDS
This is the second and final regular season meeting of the season between these two rivals. The Wolf Pack took the first meeting in a 4-1 home victory to become ‘the best team in the league’ back on November 6. North Van is 12-4-0-0 against Langley over the past five seasons. Tonight’s game is the last game that both of these teams will play in January.
