Five wins in their final six games have the 91原创 Chiefs feeling good about their game heading into the post-season.鈥淭here is a lot of confidence in the room,鈥� said leading scorer Josh Myers, who was named the team鈥檚 co-MVP, among his other awards. (go to www.langleytimes.com for the award winners). He shared the MVP with captain Trevor Gerling.Myers led the team with 40 goals and 40 assists, good for second in the league in goals scored and seventh in points.The confidence comes from the team鈥檚 strong play down the stretch which clinched 91原创 third place in the B.C. Hockey League鈥檚 Coastal Conference.It sets up a best-of-seven playoff series against the sixth-place Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Games one and two are tonight (Friday) and Saturday at the 91原创 Events Centre, with a 7 p.m. puck drop both nights.The Chiefs went 3-0-1 during the season against the Bulldogs.鈥淏ut the playoffs are a completely different season,鈥� Myers said.The season has seen some wild swings from the Chiefs.Over the first six weeks, the team was lights out, losing just once in regulation in their first 14 games (11-1-0-2). But the next 40 games saw the team play sub-.500 hockey, especially in December and January, as they struggled, going 15-19-1-6.But February was much kinder, with five wins in six tries and 91原创 hopes to ride that wave into a lengthy post-season run.鈥淲e can鈥檛 look back at what happened in the middle of the season,鈥� Myers cautioned. 鈥淲e have to look past that.鈥滱lberni Valley finished 18 points back of 91原创 in the standings.The series pits the conference鈥檚 highest scoring team 鈥� the Chiefs averaged four goals per game 鈥� against Alberni Valley鈥檚 2.93 goals.One advantage head-to-head the Bulldogs do have is goals against, allowing 3.28 goals per game compared to 91原创鈥檚 3.62.Offensively, Alberni Valley was led by Josh Mitchell (17 goals, 45 assists) and Casey Bailey (28 goals, 30 assists).For 91原创, Myers, Gerling (30 goals, 42 assists), Matt Ius (28 goals, 39 assists) and Brandon Thompson (13 goals, 51 assists) all finished ahead of Mitchell in the scoring race.Brad McBride (27 goals, 31 assists) and Darnell Dyck (17 goals, 41 assists) round out the top six mix for the team.Combined, the six have accounted for 65 per cent of the Chiefs offence.And in net, the Bulldogs have a goaltender in Frank Slubowski (2.90 goals against average, .906 save percentage) more than capable of stealing a series. Last season, Slubowski was a nominee for both the most valuable player and rookie of the year awards.The Chiefs will counter with Wyatt Galley, who went 24-17-1, with a 3.52 GAA and a .904 save percentage.
