The North Vancouver Wolf Pack finished regular season play on a four-game win streak, and they needed every last point to secure first overall in the league heading into the PJHL playoffs.
The Wolf Pack ended regular season play with an 8-2 win over the White Rock Whalers Saturday at Harry Jerome Recreation Centre, placing them into a tie atop the standings with the Delta Ice Hawks, each with 69 points in 44 games. It was a new record for points in a season for the Wolf Pack, and the North Van squad was awarded first place in the Tom Shaw Conference and the league because they had two more regulation wins than Delta for the season.
Several Wolf Pack players also set individual records during the team’s strong 2018-19 season. Forward Lucas Barker scored a hat trick in Saturday’s win, putting him over the top for a new franchise record for goals in a season with 34. He beat the old record of 33 set by Mitchell Crisanti in 2014-15. Barker led the team with 68 points in 43 games, and finished third in the league in points and goals.
Forward Jacob Fournier picked up two assists in Saturday’s win to set a new franchise rookie record for points and assists in a season. The rookie picked up 41 assists, third most in the league, and added 10 goals for 51 points.
Dominic Davis also had a stellar rookie campaign, scoring 26 goals to set a new franchise rookie record. He added 24 assists to sit right behind Fournier with 50 total points.
The Wolf Pack were also strong in goal, with the tandem of rookie Niklas Hoem and Spencer Eschyschyn combining to lead the league with only 93 goals allowed in 44 games. Hoem topped all goalies with a 1.86 goals against average and finished third in the league with a .928 save percentage. Both marks were rookie records for the Wolf Pack, as was his 19 wins.
The Wolf Pack now turn their attention to their opening round playoff series against the Ridge Meadow Flames, who finished fourth in the Harold Brittain Conference with 44 points in 44 games. The teams played each other four times during the regular season, with North Van winning all four matchups, outscoring the Flames 26-8. Their latest matchup was a close one, however, with North Van scoring a 3-1 win in Maple Ridge on Feb. 8.
The series starts Friday at Planet Ice – Maple Ridge before returning to Harry Jerome for games two and three Saturday and Monday. Both games in North Van start at 7 p.m.
