LANGLEY, B.C. – Trinity Western men's hockey is back for its third year as members of the ultra-competitive Canada West conference of U SPORTS, starting this weekend.
Under head coach
Ben Walter, who is in his second season with the Spartans, TWU is returning 22 players, including their top nine point-producers.
TWU is coming off a 3-25-0 record during the 2022-23 Canada West season, which saw fourth-year
Daine Dubois (Williams Lake, B.C.) emerge as the Spartans goal-scoring and points leader, finishing with 14 goals and 26 points. Fourth-year forward
Tanner Hopps (North Delta, B.C.), who led the team in assists with 15, while notching 20 points returns, as does second-year forward
Mitchell Joss (Winnipeg, Man.), who finished second in goals with 10 and fourth in points with 16. Goaltenders
Berk Berkeliev (Calgary, Alta.) with a 6.03 goals-against-average, and
Raphael Audet (Rimouski, Que.) who posted two wins and a 4.92 goals-against-average, return to backstop the Spartans. To the large existing core, the Spartans have added defenceman
Skyler Cameron (Nanaimo, B.C.), forwards
Christian Lowe (Port Moody, B.C.) and
Reid Perepeluk (Yorkton, Sask.), and goalie
Leon Sommer (Linz, Austria).
Every TWU men's hockey game will be available live and on-demand this season on Canada West TV – the official streaming home of the conference. Passes are now on sale.
HEAD COACH BEN WALTER
"I'm excited to be starting my second year with this team. Our players came back to school in much better condition and our training camp has been excellent. I expect our team to be competitive this season. We want to be known as a team that plays fast and is hard to play against. We are looking forward to getting our Canada West season started."
GOALTENDERS
Returning for the Spartans are third-year
Berk Berkeliev (Calgary) with an .873 save percentage and a 6.03 GAA, second-year
Raphael Audet (Rimouski, Que) who had an .885 save percentage and a 4.92 GAA, and fifth-year Isaac Labelle (Saskatoon, Sask.) who posted an .884 save percentage and a 5.00 GAA. In addition, rookie
Leon Sommer joins the squad from Austria, which should give TWU a number of options between the pipes for the upcoming season.
DEFENSE
On the back-end the Spartans will look to improve their goals against average (5.31) this season and will be relying on a deep defensive core led by captain
Jesse Pomeroy (Prince George, B.C.), who enters his fourth year of eligibility, having tallied two goals and eight assists, with 44 shots, last year. Second-year
Jonathan Krahn (Chilliwack, B.C.) will be instrumental as well, having put up two goals and five assists, with 55 shots last year, while rookie
Skyler Cameron (Nanaimo, B.C.) and third-year
Landon Fuller (Williams Lake, B.C.), who scored one goal and had five assists, with 33 shots, in 2022-23, will play keys roles as well.
FORWARDS
Leading the way will be Dubois, while a bevy of others will contribute to the offensive load, including third-year
Jeremy Klessens (Red Deer, Alta.) who had 19 points last year, Hopps who had 20 points, rookie
Christian Lowe (Port Moody, B.C.), third-year
Jarrett Penner (Saskatoon, Sask.) who had 14 points, , third-year
Michael Spafford (Saskatoon, Sask.) who had 11 points, second-year
Mikol Sartor (Winnipeg, Man.) who had 11 assists, third-year
Luke Spadafora (Calgary, Alta.) who put up 13 points and first-year
Reid Perepeluk (Yorkton, Sask.).
BY THE NUMBERS
2022 CW regular season record: 3-25, 9th
Head Coach:
Ben Walter / 2nd season
2022-23 CW regular season ranks:
Offence: 78 goals, 7th
Defence: 148 goals against, 9th
2022-23 CW regular season leaders (returning):
Goals: 14 –
Daine Dubois, FWD
Assists: 15 –
Tanner Hopps, FWD
Points: 26 –
Daine Dubois, FWD
Key additions (name / position / eligibility / hometown / last team):
Skyler Cameron / DEF / 1
st year / Nanaimo, BC / Nanaimo (BCHL)
Christian Lowe / FOR / 1
st year / Port Moody, BC / Merritt (BCHL)
Reid Perepeluk / FOR / 1
st year / Yorkton, SK / Kansas City (ECHL)
Leon Sommers / GOAL / 1
st year / Linz, Austria / Steel Wing (ALPS HL)
