As SFU hits the ice in January the team will aim to continue where they left off at the end of 2019. After an OT loss to TWU (a game that SFU led late in the third period before giving way to the Spartans) and two convincing wins over Selkirk College to close out 2019, the group is carrying cautious optimism into the second half. Rookie Ty Westgard led the way with 7 points in the final 2 games, earning him BCIHL POW and POM honors.

A few lineup changes took place over the Christmas break. Cole Plotnikoff, Trevor Ayre and Colton Gerlib will not play in the spring semester. Gerlib opted to return to junior, joining the AJHL Olds Grizzlies. Plotnikoff and Ayre will put their on-ice careers on hold in order to focus on academic success at SFU. Plotnikoff is pursuing a transfer and a degree from the SFU Beedie School of Business. Both students will remain close to the SFU team and are supported by the staff and their peers.

New faces in the lineup include Mateo Coltellaro, a Burnaby Winter Club and Grandview Steelers (PJHL) grad who put up 25 goals in his final junior season, as well as 6 in 10 playoff games. Joining the Burnaby native is Vancouver’s Jacob Lacasse, who split his junior career between the Winkler Flyers (MJHL) and North Vancouver Wolfpack (PJHL). Lacasse also knows Burnaby well, also having competed for the Burnaby Winter Club. Both recruits were able to find time to work out with SFU in the fall, and head coach Mark Coletta expects them to step right into the lineup.

SFU takes on UVIC on Friday January 10th at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre before a prime time showdown against top ranked TWU on Saturday January 18th, also at Copeland Arena. Tickets are available online at www.sfuhockey.com/nextgame