The Delta Ice Hawks will have a top Western Hockey League prospect in their line-up when they hope to resume game action on Nov. 24.
The Hawks skated to a 4-1 road win over the North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Saturday in what was the final night of cohort play in the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League for at least two weeks after new restrictions were announced earlier in the day by Provincial Medical Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The restrictions included no competition for indoor sports in the Fraser and Coastal Health regions.
Delta entered the unexpected break with a 3-2-0 record in its three-team cohort group that also includes the Langley Trappers.
The club announced on Sunday the addition of 16-year-old forward Mathew Ward who was selected 13th overall by the Swift Current Broncos in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft.
The Kamloops native has spent the past two seasons playing at the academy level, initially with the Delta Hockey Academy’s top Bantam Prep team then last year in Midget Prep with West Vancouver where he compiled 64 points in 34 games, including 19 goals. Ward’s teammates included Conor Bedard, the top pick in this year’s Bantam Draft and the first-ever player in the WHL to be granted exceptional status, paving the way for him to play major junior as a 15-year-old.
Each PJHL team is allowed to carry two 16-year-olds. Ward is joined by goaltender and Ladner native Charles Bagnall-Dubras.
Meanwhile, it was a WHL veteran who made an impressive Ice Hawk debut in the win over North Vancouver.
Michael Farren scored twice as Delta erased a 1-0 deficit with four unanswered goals. The 20-year-old, who was earlier named team captain, will be with the Ice Hawks until at least the end of December under an agreement that allows WHL players to play in other junior leagues while awaiting the start of their season. Farren’s rights belong to Swift Current after spending the past four seasons with Saskatoon and Kelowna.
Reegan House and Truman Chiu also scored for Delta while goaltender Jordy Engelson was outstanding, making 51 saves.
The Hawks also skated to a 6-5 home ice shootout win over Langley last Tuesday. Delta led 5-1 in the early stages of the second period, but needed a shootout goal from Chiu to secure the two points. He also scored in regulation with Dryden Valade, Bradley Araki-Young, Ryan Xu and Callum MacDonald also scoring goals.
