The teams of the Boundary Adult Hockey League fought for the Bahley Cup this season – but some put up a better fight than others.
Midway Loggers - Bahley Cup Champions
Fans from throughout the Boundary Country poured into the Jack Goddard Arena for the Boundary Adult Hockey League (BAHL) championship game between the Midway Loggers and the Eholt Wood Ticks. After fighting back from the brink of elimination in game two, the Midway Loggers applied pressure on the league-leading Ticks early on, scoring several goals in the first period. Although the Ticks tried to answer back in the remaining periods, the speed, strength and skill of the Midway Loggers ultimately proved to be too much for the Ticks to handle. This is the first time the Bahley Cup has been awarded to Midway.
Eholt Wood Ticks
Led by the offence of “The Wizard,” Mike Tollis and the goaltending prowess of Matt Zamec, the Eholt Wood Ticks were unstoppable this season. After a strong run in the playoffs and a resounding 9-0 victory over the Midway Loggers in game one of the final round, it appeared that Taylor Sebastian’s lifelong quest to drink from the Bahley Cup would soon be over. However, fate and overconfidence can be a cruel mistress. The Tick’s epic championship game meltdown should give pause to “Billy Beer Leagues” everywhere.
Whitehall Road Wild
It was not the storybook season Corey Flodell would have liked. After an early season injury sidelined the general manager for 6-8 weeks, Flodell’s Wilds fell to the Midway Loggers in the dying seconds of the semi-finals. For the veteran general manager it was deja vu of last season’s crushing defeat to the Knights; for goaltender Nathan Surinak it was business as usual.
Borderline Bears
Expectations were high this season for the general manager, Brady Dunbar. Dunbar, who was still coming down from his third consecutive Bahley Cup victory was anticipated to select the next legitimate contender. Instead, Dunbar ended up drafting a team of misfits, outcasts and fourth-line grinders. The bright spot on the roster, however, was the recently patriated all-star from the Siberian Elite League, Igor Agarunov. With support from Greenwood’s goaltender Ricky Yamaguchi, Agarunov was able to carry the Bears, like a sack of rotting potatoes, into the second round of the playoffs.
North Fork Bulls
The North Fork Bulls learned a valuable lesson this season — never count out a team managed by Brady Dunbar. After beginning the season as one of the undisputed favourites to win the Bahley Cup, the Bulls met their match against the Borderline Bears. In one of the chippiest and hard fought series of the 2018 playoffs, the Bulls failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities to eliminate the gritty scofflaws led by Dunbar. Though things did not materialize for he and his fellow Bulls, expect a huge comeback year from the BAHL’s best back stopper, Derek TeBrinke.
Jasper Road Jets
First overall pick Pat McIver led the team in almost every category: shots, blocks, goals, assists, saves and shutouts. In fact, the only stat McIver could not lay claim to this season was the most Zamboni ice cleans, which went to Chris Shuster. Despite the one-man heroics of McIver, the Jets could not get off the ground this season.
Boundary Lightning
In his debut season as general manager, Logan Melville managed to achieve what no other manager before him could: fewer than four season wins. Through a series of unconventional draft picks and blockbuster trades, Melville compiled a team that meshed very well in the dressing room. However, when it became evident that the team’s off-ice chemistry would not translate into points, the Lightning were left desperately looking for ways to score.
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On behalf of the Boundary Adult Hockey League, we would like to thank all the players, referees, score-keepers and volunteers that have made this season a success. We look forward to seeing everyone at the draft this September.