Eight KIJHL alumni are now B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League champions after the University of Victoria Vikes defeated the Vancouver Island University Mariners 3-0 on Sunday.
Of the eight alum on the Vikes- Aidan Morrison (100 Mile House), Sam Lewis and Jakob Drapeau (Kamloops), Cole Fournier and Connor Nolan (Fernie), Kade Leskosky (Kimberley), Alex Smith (Sicamous) and Linden Deugau (Princeton) – Leskosky, Fournier and Morrison were in the lineup.
Vikes head coach Alec Dillon praised Morrison, who has been part of their program for three years after transferring from the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference.
“He’s been a leader the last two years and has a huge role to play with us,” said Dillon. “Aidan was on the team last year and when we lost to VIU. He was one of those guys that we were leaning on and relying on to show a lot of the first years how much this meant to them. And to do it against the team that beat us last year. Even for me, we were all saying after the game how amazing that felt.”
Dillon added that Leskosky and Fournier earned their opportunity when the Vikes were hit with several injuries and got experience that previous first-year players didn’t. Leskosky and Fournier made big contributions.
“It was a great season for them,” said Dillon.
The Mariners have four KIJHL alumni in their program. Former Kimberley Dynamiter Matt Fleet was in goal and stopped 24 of 26 shots for a .923 save percentage. Along with Fleet, the Mariners have Tyson Lautard (Nelson Leafs), Hunter Burgeson (Beaver Valley Nitehawks) and Austin Daniels (Kimberley Dynamiters). The three players played in the championship game.
See the BCIHL stats leaders.
