The Langley Rivermen’s three game road trip continues this weekend on Vancouver Island, following a weekend off due to the BCHL’s all-star break. Friday they will be taking on the Cowichan Valley Capitals in Duncan, and Saturday is their second and final visit to Victoria to take on the Grizzlies.
Friday in Duncan will be the first meeting of the season between Langley and Cowichan, and the Rivermen won two of the four meetings last season. Langley come in having lost four in a row, while the Capitals have dropped their prior two contests.
Saturday in Victoria will be the third meeting of the season between the Rivermen and Grizzlies, and the first two have been close one goal games. Victoria will come into Saturday’s contest having won five in a row.
COWICHAN PLAYER TO WATCH
#24 Camden Bazjer – The Shaker Heights, Ohio born forward has been off to a tear this season, currently sitting 13th in league points coming into Friday’s contest. He spent the 2022-23 season with Langley appearing in 15 games and collecting two assists, but returned to the United States at the end of that season, and all of last year playing in the NAHL. Bazjer’s rights were traded to Sherwood Park by the Rivermen early in the season, and then his rights were flipped to Cowichan and has allowed Bazjer to be so strong this year. In his last 10 games, he has four goals and 7 assists and will look to strike revenge against his former squad on Friday.
VICTORIA PLAYER TO WATCH
#25 Chase Pirtle – the second Grizzlies forward has picked up where he left off last season, a 2023-24 season in which he had 52 points in 54 games played. He is currently on a 9-game point streak, collecting three goals and 12 assists in that span. The Far Hills, New Jersey product also has 44 points in 33 games, well on his way to smashing last year’s numbers in fewer games to end the regular season.
LANGLEY PLAYER TO WATCH
#19 Ryan Schelling – The Suffern, New York born product has been cooking this season, having collected 12 more points last year in 15 less games played. He represented the Rivermen at the BCHL’s all-star skills competition and 3 on 3 tournament this past weekend in Salmon Arm, and will come into Friday’s game in Cowichan looking for point #50 as the Rivermen’s leading point getter sits at 49 as of this point.