The PJHL has announced it’s Players of the Playoffs for Round 1.
Theo Kochan, F, Ridge Meadows Flames – Kochan was the hero for the Flames in their series-clinching Game 5 win over Mission City as he assisted on the tying goal with six seconds to go in regulation and the extra attacker on the ice. Then, in quadruple overtime, he scored the winning goal for his sixth goal and ninth point of the series sending the Flames on to Round 2. Earlier in the series against Mission City, Kochan led a big Flames comeback with the team’s first and fourth goals, both on the power play, after the Outlaws had gone ahead 4-0 in the first period. Ridge Meadows went on to win it 5-4 in double overtime.
Zach Sherwin, F, White Rock Whalers – After the Whalers dropped the series opener to Richmond, Sherwin got to work taking over the remainder of the proceedings with multiple points in each of the next four games, all wins. Sherwin scored the opener, set up the winner and added some empty net insurance as White Rock evened the series 1-1. With two goals and two assists in Game 3, Sherwin took a 1st Star nod and he kept rolling with a goal and two helpers in Game 4. Sherwin assisted twice in the Game 5 shutout win that advanced the Whalers on to Round 2.
Brayden Melnyk, G, Chilliwack Jets – In search of his first PJHL postseason victory and facing the favoured Langley Trappers, Melnyk got all that and more as he backstopped the Jets to a five-game series win. The 6-foot-2 netminder opened with a 41-save showing in Game 1 and bested that with 53 saves in a 3OT win in Game 2. Chilliwack put a stranglehold on the series with a 1-0 win in Game 3 and in the decisive Game 5, he turned away 44 more pucks to and grabbed 1st Star as the Jets moved on to Round 2. In the five games against Langley, Melnyk stopped 198 of 205 shots for a 0.966 save percentage.
