Glacier Kings Chase First Home Win as High-Flying Cougars Come to Town

The Comox Valley Glacier Kings have been one of the VIJHL’s best road teams this season and one of its least successful at home. They’ll try to change the second part on Saturday night when the Victoria Cougars visit the Comox Valley Sports Centre for a 6:30 PM puck drop.

The numbers tell a strange story. Comox Valley is a perfect 4-0-0-0 away from home and still looking for its first win in front of its own fans, sitting at 0-5-0-0 at home. Friday’s 6-0 win in Port Alberni was another strong road performance. Anthony Ganoung made 28 saves for the shutout, Westin Churchill scored twice a day after his 18th birthday, and Owen Downey added three assists. The win moved the Glacier Kings to 4-5-0-0, fifth in the North Division and two points back of fourth-place Campbell River, with a game in hand on every other team in the division.

Victoria comes in as one of the league’s most dangerous teams. The Cougars are 8-2-1-0, second in the South Division and second in the VIJHL with 17 points, and their 46 goals for is tied with Lake Cowichan for the most in the league. They’re also playing the second night of a back-to-back after beating Saanich 4-1 on Friday.

The Cougars’ offence runs through two players at the top of the league scoring race. Avery Lowe leads the VIJHL with 22 points and 12 goals in 11 games. Dalton Toma is right behind him with 21 points and leads the league with 13 assists. Rookie Hunter Thorkilson (3G, 9A) and Tyler Delli-Carri (5G, 6A) give Victoria plenty more depth up front.

That sets up a real strength-on-strength matchup, because nobody has been harder to score on than Comox Valley. The Glacier Kings have allowed just 18 goals in nine games, the fewest in the league, and own the VIJHL’s top penalty kill at 89.3 percent. In goal, Ander Reyes (.955) and Ganoung (.953) sit first and second in the league in save percentage. Ganoung also ranks third in GAA at 1.67, and Reyes is fifth at 1.89.

Victoria’s goaltending has been solid too. Alexei Booth is 3-0 with a 1.67 GAA and .944 save percentage and started Friday in Saanich, so the Cougars could turn to Armaan Kaila or Noah Barnes on the back half of the back-to-back.

Offensively, Collin Lee (3G, 5A) and Leon Mikhalchuk (2G, 6A) lead Comox Valley with eight points each, with Churchill one back at seven. Downey and Suhaan Nagra have both made an early impact, with four points each in just three games.

The first period could decide this one. The Glacier Kings are 3-0 when leading after one and 0-5 when trailing after one. Victoria is 6-0 when leading after two periods.

History favours the Cougars. Victoria swept all four meetings last season and holds a 9-2-1-0 edge over the Glacier Kings across the last five seasons. This is the first of four meetings between the two teams this year.

Puck drop is 6:30 PM at the Comox Valley Sports Centre. The Glacier Kings are back home on Monday, October 12 for a 6:00 PM rematch with Port Alberni.