Langley Rivermen netminder Mason Beaupit recorded his first BCHL shutout and team captain Vitaly Levyy scored his 100th point in the BCHL – in his 150th game – as the team downed the Chilliwack Chiefs 4-0 Saturday night before 1,103 fans at George Preston Arena.
It was their seventh meeting of the season for the two, the start of a three-game home stand by Langley following a tiring run of five road games in 10 days.
Tyler Kuntz, Rivermen general manager and head coach said with “a bit of rest last week and then just one game on the weekend, I thought we’d be in good shape for playing our best and we did. I thought they played a pretty good game.”
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Kuntz said Beaupit has come a long way.
“He’s worked hard all year and he’s stuck with it and and done his best,” Kuntz told the Langley Advance Times.
“It was nice to see him get rewarded. I mean, it’s always nice when the goalie doesn’t let in a goal. We also realize that when you get a shutout it’s a team effort, but it definitely starts with the goaltender.”
He described Levyy as an “awesome kid” and a “great leader.”
“I think it’s really hard a junior hockey, especially at the junior A level for kids to play 150 games at the same team,” Kuntz commented.
“That’s a real testament to his character. He’s a phenomenal kid. I couldn’t think of a better captain.”
Oskar Komarov started things off Saturday with his 14th of the season to extend his point streak with 1:55 to go in the first.
Ryan Schelling fed the Finnish forward and Komarov got the shot in the top corner on Chiefs goaltender Austin McNicholas to send the home team into the second period leading 1-0.
Langley made it 2-0 early in the second period courtesy of Luke Ashton at 3:26, assisted by Dalton MacGillivray and Lincoln Hjelm.
Six minutes later, Tuukka Heiskanen would intercept a Chilliwack pass at their own blueline and skate in on goal and snap his 8th of the season home, un-assisted, making it 3-0 Rivermen after 40 minutes of play.
Rivermen would add on one more in the third period, a milestone moment for captain Levyy who assisted Komarov on his second of the night, with help from Dalton MacGillivray, to make it 4-0.
Langley outshot Chilliwack 27-22.
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Beaupit, Levyy and Komarov were named three stars of the game.
Rivermen are currently seventh of nine teams in Coastal division standings, with 11 wins in 40 games
The Rivermen continue their homestand on Friday, March 1st against the Penticton Vees.
Puck drop is set for 7:15 p.m.
Saturday night, Cowichan Valley Capitals come to the Lodge, their final meeting of the season against Langley.