U18 Canadians Snap Winless Streak in Showcase Weekend Split

The U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Canadians got into the win column for the first time in the new calendar year, snapping a long winless skid, as they defeated Thompson on Saturday before losing to the Vancouver NE Chiefs on Sunday in a U18 showcase weekend at Chilliwack’s Sardis Sports Complex.

Prior to Saturday’s win, the Canadians had gone 0-12-1-1 in their last 14 games. 

In Saturday’s game, GVC scored five goals in the first period en route to a 7-1 victory over the Blazers. Dawson Sucke scored twice and added an assisst, and Yukai Zhang, Graham Kilpatrick, Yashas Jain, A.J. Abell, and Ryan Ashe also scored for the Canadians. Harjun Aujla, meanwhile, recorded three assists as well. Jack Taylor stopped 21 of 22 shots, including 11 in the final period.

On Sunday, the Canadians lost 9-4 to the Chiefs despite goals from Maxfeld Shin, Massimo Ardizzoni, Yashas Jain, and Jack Macfarlane. Macfarlane’s third-period goal cut the deficit to 7-4, but the Chiefs added two late goals to pull out the victory. 

Abell and Kilpatrick are now tied for the team lead with 12 goals apiece, while Jain, Macfarlane, and Shin all reached double digits in goals for the season.

The seventh-place Canadians own a 7-22-2-1 record, two points ahead of eighth-place Thompson.

Next up, the U18 Canadians take on the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. at the Richmond Olympic Oval. It is the final home game of the season for the Canadians, who then face the Thunderbirds at the Abbotsford Centre on Sunday (Feb. 18) at 5:30 p.m.