The first round of the North Peace Hockey League Playoffs will begin this week. All seven teams that completed the regular season will be battling it out for the Campbell Cup title. The Dawson Creek Canucks are the defending champions after they beat the Falher Pirates in seven games in the league finals last season. The other West Division clubs also have recent titles, Grande Prairie in 2019, Fort St. John in 2018 and Spirit River in 2017. You have to go back a little further to find the most recent championships for the East Division clubs. Falher last won in 2012, Manning’s only championship was in 1987 while the Valleyview Jets have never won the NPHL title.
Manning Comets vs Valleyview Jets
Only three teams were in the East Division this season after the Grimshaw Huskies took a leave of absence. That means that the first place Falher Pirates have a first round bye as they await the winner of this series. The Comets won three of the five meetings with the Jets in the regular season. Manning was lead offensively this season by Ty Wiebe who finished second in the league in goals with 15 and points with 35. Cole Basnett was the top scorer on the Jets with 10 goals and 21 points, but he’ll be out of the lineup for game one because of a suspension.
Game 1 – Friday in Manning
Game 2 – Saturday in Valleyview
Game 3 – February 13 in Manning
Game 4 – February 15 in Valleyview
Game 5 – February 17 in Manning *
Game 6 – February 20 in Valleyview *
Game 7 – February 22 in Manning *
* – if necessary
Grande Prairie Athletics vs Spirit River Rangers
The Athletics finished just one point ahead of the Rangers for second in the West Division and home-ice advantage in this series, although the schedule for this series is a little funky because of the Alberta Winter Games that are taking place in Grande Prairie. The Athletics top scorer was Darby Berg with 10 goals and 19 points while goaltender Tyler Vant Erve lead the league with a 2.32 goals against average. Dustin Sather with 13 goals and 25 points was the top scorer for the Rangers.
Game 1 – Thursday in Grande Prairie
Game 2 – Saturday in Spirit River
Game 3 – February 13 in Spirit River
Game 4 – February 15 in Grande Prairie
Game 5 – February 17 in Spirit River *
Game 6 – February 20 in Grande Prairie *
Game 7 – February 22 in Grande Prairie *
* – if necessary
Dawson Creek Canucks vs Fort St. John Flyers
The Canucks took home the Lawrence Cup for the leagues best record in the regular season finishing with a 16-1-1 record, that includes a perfect 4-0 record against the Flyers, outscoring them 35-7 in the four games. Fort St. John actually went winless in the regular season going 0-16-2. Dawson Creek’s Wesley Shipton lead the league in goals with 19 and points with 44.
Game 1 – Thursday in Dawson Creek
Game 2 – February 12 in Fort St. John
Game 3 – February 13 in Dawson Creek
Game 4 – February 15 in Fort St. John
Game 5 – February 17 in Dawson Creek *
Game 6 – February 20 in Fort St. John *
Game 7 – February 22 in Dawson Creek *
* – if necessary
