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SMART HOCKEY MAGAZINE March 2015
Stories. Stats. Scores. Standings. www.
.ca
Homeboys - 7
Representing your hometown BCHL team is a
privilege that brings unique perspective and
responsibility for several players
Big Green Ivy League - 17
Langley Rivermen captain Kevan Kilistoff is another hometown
product but next season, he’ll be taking his game and
his brain to Ivy League Dartmouth College
Tiger Talk - 19
Former Trail Smoke Eaters standout Garrett McMullen
of the RIT Tigers is one of the few NCAA Div. I players
who got to go home to play college hockey
Texting - 15
This new feature takes you behind the
scenes with Chilliwack Chiefs goalie
David Jacobson - a conversation via
text brings you into the life of a
junior hockey player
Silverbacks forward
& Salmon Arm native Bryden Marsh
Photo: Garrett James Photography

A word from the editor...
SMART HOCKEY
MAGAZINE
Published by the
British Columbia Hockey League
102-7382 Winston Street
Burnaby, B.C., V5A 2G9
Editor: Brent Mutis
(604) 422-8783
bmutis@bchl.ca
Contributors: Jesse Adamson,
Justine Leung, Owen Munro,
Garry Raible
Not every junior hockey player gets the opportunity to pull on
the sweater of his hometown team. Even fewer get to be the
captain of that team. In this issue, we hear from four such
players (including Surrey Eagles captain Ben Vikich, above)
who help form their team’s culture and do so much as ambassodors of
the game and for the league in their communities.
We introduce a new feature in this issue also. It’s called ‘Texting’ and is
just what it says. It’s a text conversation, this time with David Jacobson of
the Chilliwack Chiefs, that takes you into the everyday routine of a junior
hockey player
Playing hockey at home is the them of this month’s magazine and with
that in mind, the NCAA Commitment Close Up is with Langley Rivermen
captain Kevan Kilistoff. And we have an alumni feature with Garrett
McMullen, who has the unique chance to play college hockey at home.
Photographer: Garrett James
Printed by Print Advantage
Marketing Communications Ltd.
Circulation:
Smart Hockey is distributed
throughout the BCHL season
in these markets:
Alberni Valley
Cowichan Valley
Powell River
Coquitlam
Penticton
Salmon Arm
Prince George
West Kelowna
Nanaimo
Victoria
Langley
Surrey
Chilliwack
Merritt
Vernon
Trail
Available through www.bchl.ca
Enjoy! And see you at the rink.
Brent Mutis
Editor - Smart Hockey Magazine

Prepared fresh. © 2008 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY ® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc. Printed in Canada. Canadian version

SMART HOCKEY MARCH 2015
Cody DePourcq has had the unique opportunity to play over 200 BCHL games in his hometown of Penticton where he father
also starred for the team in the mid-1980s.
#SmartHockey
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
Born-and-raised BCHLers making
their marks in home-town settings
The DePourcqs are a point of pride in Penticton and
with Cody DePourcq in his final season with his
hometown Vees, he’s taking the time to take it all
in, as his Junior A career flies by.
The 5-foot-5, 160-pound forward known for playing twoway
hockey is excited to continue on with his career, but
can’t help but reflect on how lucky he has been to play out
his Junior A days amongst friends and family at home.
The support has been great here,” says DePourcq. “My
family is very hockey oriented, my grandparents, parents,
aunts and uncles. And fans connect with my family, it’s a
very unique experience.”
With a history like the one that comes with the DePourcq
name, it’s hard not to see how hockey oriented they are.
Cody’s father, John, played for Penticton during his junior
career as well and won a Centennial Cup (now the RBC
Cup) with the team in 1986 when they were known as the
Knights.
By Justine Leung
“When I was 16 we won the RBC Cup and he won with
the Knights. We’re the only father-son duo to do that,” says
Cody. “I will keep that with me for a very long time. It’s
something that I share with my whole family and something
that I cherish.”
Cody says that he’s tried his best to just take a step back
and soak it all in since he knows that he’s had a rare opportunity
and unique experience, not only playing out his BCHL
career at home while other players are leaving their native
cities to live out their hockey dreams, but also playing with
success for the same team as his dad did.
Along with a great hockey background comes expectations
from fans, but DePourcq doesn’t let that interfere
with his goals and focus.
“People will come up to me and say they watched my dad
play for the Vees when they were the Knights and compare
us,” he said. “I don’t feel too much pressure from them to
live up to the expectations though. Most of the pressure
Hometown Heroes
7

MARCH 2015 SMART HOCKEY
Hometown Heroes
and expectations come from me.”
Even though they contributed to
their respective nationally successful
teams with different styles of play,
Cody says his dad has impacted and
influenced his career in many positive
ways through coaching and advice.
“My dad has always said, ‘Don’t shy
away. It’s not the size of the man, it’s
the size of his heart. Fight through it,
battle.’”
Cody says it’s been an incredible
experience having his career come
full circle the way it has so far, “from
growing up and watching games then
going in the dressing room after to get
autographs from all of those big guys,
to now. Sitting in the room when kids
come in with eyes open huge the
same way yours did when you were
their age, looking up to you.”
Fraser Rodgers, the Vees’ Director
of Broadcasting and Media Relations,
knows that DePourcq is no stranger to
the recognition that comes with being
a hometown player. Whether it’s
people walking up to him personally
or his family members to talk hockey
or Cody participating in community
programs, he’s fine with it all.
“He’s the face of the franchise and
he enjoys it. The unique circumstance
of paying back his community, he’s
grateful for it,” says Rodgers. “Representing
the Vees in a professional and
upstanding manner. He’s helped the
program with his name and the way
he carries himself.”
“He’s an ultimate all around player
at the junior level,” says Rodgers.
“Cody is a torch bearer for Penticton,
it’s great to have a local player like
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
DePourcq’s face is one of the most recognized in the Penticton area but he always
makes time for Vees fans when the team goes out for community events.
him here for 4 years.”
Fresh off his successful run with the
Vees, DePourcq is leaving next season
to play for NCAA Div. 1 Bentley where
he’s excited to start up the next chapter
of his career.
“I think a different atmosphere will
be a good thing for me,” says DePourcq.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Hometown Heroes
continues on Page 10

MARCH 2015 SMART HOCKEY
Ben Vikich,
Surrey Eagles
By Garry Raible
Hometown Heroes
Meet forward Ben Vikich of
the Surrey Eagles, whose
first full season with the
team is his last season in the B.C.
Hockey League.
The 20-year old Vikich might well
have had the toughest task in the
BCHL, as the captain of the rebuilding
Eagles, his hometown team.
“It’s been a year where we had
more than our share of injuries and
bad bounces.” says Vikich, who has
never worn the ‘C’ at any level of
hockey until this season. “We have
a pretty young group of guys but the
future looks good for the team. This
has been a challenge, but I felt I was
ready for it. Growing up, the thing to
do on Friday and Saturday nights was
to go to Eagles games. Getting to play
for them was unreal. Being the captain?
It meant a lot to have the coach
put his trust in me.”
First-year head coach Blaine
Neufeld is well-versed in what makes
a good team leader. During his major
junior hockey playing days in Medicine
Hat and Vancouver, his coaches
were well-respected hockey men like
Willie Desjardins and Don Hay and he
played alongside the likes of current
NHLers, Kris Russell and Milan Lucic.
Neufeld made an easy call on who
would be the leader of a Surrey team
trying to change its culture.
“We’re trying to replicate an NCAA-
Division One-type program where
policies and procedures are in place
and expectations are laid out. We
want to instil a tradition and pride in
playing for the Eagles. It’s very crucial
that your captain is on board. We
asked a lot of Ben this year, but he
gave us what we expected of him.”
Vikich has responded, on the ice,
with a career year in goals and points,
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
Ben Vikich grew up in Surrey and started attending Eagles games as a young fan of
the team he now wears the ‘C’ for.
and, off the ice, when it comes to the
captain’s connection to the community.
“I definitely think there’s a lot
more responsibility with being the
captain of your hometown team.”
Says Vikich.
“We have
a lot more
Ryan Bowen, Chilliwack
challenges Joey Santucci, Coquitlam
here than Nicholas Beck, Surrey
some other Latrell Charleson, Surrey
Ben Vikich, Surrey
teams do Spencer Meyer, Surrey
but the guys Ty Westgard, Surrey
are pretty Cole Plotnikoff, Surrey
Lucas Stratford, Surrey
good about
Jordan Funk, Surrey
putting on
the jersey and going to an elementary
school or being involved in some
charity function even if they’ve had
a bad game or the team isn’t doing
well. They know it’s about more than
hockey, in the long run.”
“Having Ben as the captain is definitely
a bonus for us.” Neufeld adds.
“He’s very
tied into
Home-grown BCHLers
MAINLAND DIVISION
Quinn Lenihan, Surrey
Spencer Unger, Surrey
Darius Davidson, Surrey
Daniel Davidson, Surrey
Kevan Kilistoff, Langley
Jake LeBrun, Prince George
Riley Hawes, Prince George
Brogan O’Brien -
Prince George
Braiden Epp, Prince George
the community.
He knows
a lot of
people.
He’s always
requested
first for
public appearances and he recognizes
and appreciates his role in doing
that.”
10
#SmartHockey

SMART HOCKEY MARCH 2015
PHOTO: Randy Emery
Jake Lucchini accomplished everything he wanted to as a Trail Smoke Eater and got to
finish the season as the team’s captain as well.
Jake Lucchini, Trail Smoke Eaters
While every player on the Trail
Smoke Eaters lives the ups
and downs that go with life in
junior hockey, none of them are getting
to experience it like captain Jake Lucchini.
Playing in the town where he was born
and raised, and being the captain of the
team, he gets to live out the dreams he’s
held since he came to Cominco Arena as
a youngster. And it may just be that striving
to follow what former Smokies players
accomplished is what allowed him to
achieve what he did this season.
“Ever since I was little, I always wanted
to play for the Smoke Eaters and my
dream came true,” says Lucchini, 19. “I
remember one time when Trail was in
the running for (Kraft) Hockeyville. I’d
never seen it before but the rink was
filled – 3,000 people or so. I remember
Kyle Jones scoring one of the (Trail) goals
By Brent Mutis
(but) I think they lost in overtime. I still
remember it to this day.”
Lucchini was the one this season that
young hockey players in Trail will want to
emulate in the seasons
to come. The
6-foot, 177-pound
forward had a monster
season with 35
goals and 48 assists.
His 83 points put him
fourth in league scoring
and made him
the Interior Division’s
finalist for the Wayne
Dye Memorial Trophy
as BCHL MVP.
People that saw Lucchini grow up at
the rink, like Smoke Eaters president Tom
Gawryletz, knew he’d be a BCHL player
one day. But his production this season
was beyond expectations.
“When he played major midget, the
team struggled but he obviously was
going to be a player,” says Gawryletz.
“He benefitted from the BCHL rule with
(requiring teams have) 16- and 17-yearolds;
It gave him a chance to get his feet
wet.
“But I don’t think anyone expected
him to do this year what he’s done
points wise. It goes to show that even
in the small towns, there are guys that
can play.”
The success didn’t come without cost
though. The Smokies fell behind in the
ultra-tough Interior Division and with
the postseason drifting from reach, the
team dealt captain and fellow Trail native
Scott Davidson to Chilliwack.
“He’s probably my best friend; we
played together since atom,” says Lucchini.
“Seeing him go, it’s not something
I wanted to happen but it opened up
another opportunity for me.”
That opportunity was becoming the
team captain. That, plus all success on
the scoresheet, is a huge part of meeting
the goals that began to form when
he was a young fan at Cominco arena.
“I’m glad it happened to me,” he says.
“Everyone looks up to the goalscorers
and I looked up to guys like that. Just to
fulfill those goals is something I wanted
to achieve.”
Another thing to be glad of is the
NCAA Division I scholarship Lucchini
Home-grown BCHLers
INTERIOR DIVISION
Brett Mennear, West Kelowna
Danny Todosychuk, Vernon
Jagger Williamson, Vernon
Blaine Caton, Vernon
Jeremy Lucchini, Trail
Jake Lucchini, Trail
Craig Martin, Trail
Dallas Calvin, Trail
Carson Bolduc, Salmon Arm
Shane Danyluk, Salmon Arm
Bryden Marsh, Salmon Arm
Cody DePourcq, Penticton
earned to Michigan
Tech. He knew
as a rookie it was
possible but wasn’t
sure it would materialize.
“When I was 17,
I came in here not
expecting much.
I kind of thought
that of all the years
I played in the
league, that that
would come and fortunately it has. Every
guy dreams of putting up points and
getting a chance to go to college. It’s
happened and I’m really glad it has.”
Hometown Heroes
#SmartHockey
11

SMART HOCKEY MARCH 2015
Bryden Marsh sets the tone for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks as one of the team’s veterans and, this year, its captain. While
he may not lead the stats categories, he leads the team by his example of hard work.
Bryden Marsh, Salmon Arm Silverbacks
By Garry Raible
The captain of a hockey team might be its best player
or the hardest worker, the leading scorer or a top
defenseman.
Or maybe none of the above.
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks put the ‘C’ on Bryden
Marsh’s jersey because he has the undisputed respect of his
teammates and coaches and because he came with a built-in
bonus; he was born and raised in Salmon Arm.
“It was kind of a goal of mine (to be the captain) when I
came back for my third year as one of the older guys,” says
the 20-year old winger. “Being from Salmon Arm, it’s a real
honour.”
First year head coach Brandon West called the decision a
no-brainer.
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
“We’ve always maintained that our team leaders should
be quality people who believe in our team’s core values and
Bryden’s always expressed that in the three years I’ve been
here.
“He’s just a very influential person and he owns the dressing
room. He has a great pulse on the room, knowing when the
guys need positive reinforcement and when they need to be
leaned on.”
“The relationship between me and my teammates is a good
one,” says the 6-3, 200-pound Marsh, who had a career year
in goals and points. “I try and lead by example because I’m
not the most skilled guy on the team. I’m not going to score
the highlight-reel goals but maybe when they see me working
hard, they’ll work hard, in return.”
It comes as no surprise that Bryden Marsh took on such a
leadership role with his hometown team. One of his boyhood
friends is Curtis Lazar, a rookie with the Ottawa Senators and,
Hometown Heroes
#SmartHockey
13

MARCH 2015 SMART HOCKEY
Hometown Heroes
recently, the captain of Canada’s gold medal-winning World
Junior Hockey team.
They were teammates in Salmon Arm minor hockey.
Bryden’s father, Tom Marsh, is a major contributor to minor
hockey in Salmon Arm and is a co-owner of the Salmon Arm
Hockey School. The elder Marsh was a captain with the old
Seattle Breakers of the Major Junior Western League.
“I know my dad taught me a lot,” says Bryden, who wears his
father’s old number 22. “He gave me some good life lessons.”
Life lessons, well learned, when it comes to contributing to
his hometown team, and to his community.
“We do a lot more community stuff than a lot of teams,”
says Marsh. “It seems like every week, the guys are involved in
something at school, a readers program, or minor hockey. It’s
not too difficult to get them involved.”
Following their born leader, no doubt.
Dylan Haugen, Alberni Valley
Tomba Huddleston, Victoria
Shawn McBride, Victoria
Nick Guiney, Victoria
Cole Pickup, Victoria
Kevin Massy, Victoria
Home-grown BCHLers
ISLAND DIVISION
Ryan Coughlan, Nanaimo
Zach Funk, Nanaimo
Brendan Taylor, Nanaimo
Hunter Findlater, Powell River
Ben Berard, Cowichan
Ryan Hogg, Cowichan
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

NCAA COMMITMENT CLOSE UP:
Kevan Kilistoff, Dartmouth College
Smart Hockey Magazine tracked down
Langley Rivermen captain and Langley native
Kevan Kilistoff to chat about committing to
Dartmouth College for next season
Kevan Kilistoff
Forward, Langley Rivermen
6’0”, 190 pounds
Hometown: Langley, BC
Birthdate: Jan. 19, 1995
BCHL Stats:
167GP, 43G, 70A, 113Pts
PHOTO: GARRETT JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
Nickname: Big Green
NCAA Division I sports programs: 34
Total Enrollment (all campuses): 6,342
Undergraduate students: 4,276 (67.4%)
Graduate students: 2,066 (32.6%)
SHM: How does it feel committing to an Ivy League
school like Dartmouth?
KK: That was definitely my whole plan all along. My
goal was to get an Ivy League education. My grades
were always good and my dad was always just pushing
me to keep doing my SATs and keep getting a
better score through that. I got a 1630, which is kind
of low for Ivy League, but with my school marks it
should be no problem getting in.
SHM: You announced your decision to commit back
in November. Did that allow you to focus on the season
a little more and take some pressure off?
KK: Yeah I played two seasons before this and didn’t
really talk to too many schools so getting a scholarship
pretty early in the season helped relieve some of
the pressure of committing. It was good to have.
SHM: How was it to be back playing for your hometown
team, especially being named captain?
KK: When I first got traded to Langley I thought it
was pretty cool to be playing for the hometown team.
Then coming back for the second year being named
captain I thought was a really great opportunity and
experience. Growing up in Langley, going to Hornets
games and the Chiefs games, it’s kind of what I
wanted to do playing junior so it was pretty much a
dream come true.
SHM: You have another year of BCHL eligibility -
did you give any thought to coming back to Langley?
KK: I came into the year thinking if I got a scholarship
for the year after my 20-year-old season, that
would be fine. But my main goal was to get it for my
20-year-old season because I already played two seasons
in the league and I think it would be better for
my development to go and move on to college and
not come back to the league. It’s a great league but if I
got the offer to go play college I was going to take it.
- Owen Munro for SHM 17

SMART HOCKEY MARCH 2015
PHOTO: RIT ATHLETICS
Garrett McMullen got a unique opportunity to head home for NCAA hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
where he sees friends and family in the stands every home game.
McMullen makes way back home
After a successful two seasons in the BCHL,
former Trail Smoke Eaters captain Garrett
McMullen is now playing an important
role for an up-and-coming
NCAA Division I program which
happens to be right in his own
backyard.
The 22-year-old winger is in the
midst of his sophomore season at
Rochester Institute of Technology
(RIT) and has become an everyday
player for head coach Wayne Wilson and the Tigers.
McMullen, who is from nearby Churchville, NY admits
that it has been a big change going from playing
thousands of miles away from friends and family
By Jesse Adamson
in the BCHL to playing for a school whose campus is
a ten minute drive from home.
“I think it adds a little more excitement,” said Mc-
Mullen. “It’s pressure in a good way. I
don’t really get too nervous about it.
“
I’m more thankful that they are able
to watch me out there.”
After being named assistant captain
in his first season in Trail and captain
in his second, McMullen committed
to RIT during his 20-year-old season,
a decision he said wasn’t a hard one to make.
“It was always kind of something in the back of
my mind,” said the six-foot-one, 180-pound Mc-
Mullen. “It’s a great program; it’s in my backyard.
It’s pressure in a
good way... I’m
more thankful that
they are able to
watch me out there.
#SmartHockey
Hometown Heroes
19

SMART HOCKEY MARCH 2015
PHOTO: RIT ATHLETICS
McMullen honed his offensive game in the BCHL and is a versatile piece for RIT
coach Wayne Wilson, able to play in all situations and chip in offence when he can.
Growing up, those were the first
hockey games I remember going
to and they were pretty awesome
to watch.”
“It was definitely the place
where I wanted to end up in the
long run.”
Some of McMullen’s first hockey
memories are of being allowed
to go down to the RIT locker room
after home games on the weekend
because he played youth
hockey with the assistant coach’s
son. Now it has come full circle
as McMullen is the one signing
autographs for the kids after the
game.
“RIT influenced me a lot as a
kid,” he said. “So it’s nice to see
the younger kids come through
the locker room after the games.
It’s cool to say ‘Hey, I played
where you played ten years ago.’”
Although he could not be happier
with his current hockey situation,
McMullen has fond memories
of his former junior league on
the other side of the continent, so
far from friends and family.
“I loved my time in the BCHL,”
recalled McMullen. “It was a lot
of fun to play there. It was a pretty
offensive league so it helped me
get my confidence up offensively.
I think it was the perfect league
for me to develop.”
Including McMullen, the Tigers
feature nine BCHL graduates, so
they have built somewhat of a
fraternity in the room.
“It’s kind of fun to joke around
with each other and say ‘we beat
you,’ or ‘we knocked you out of
the playoffs.’”
RIT currently has a 17-14-5 record
overall and are ranked 40th
in the country according to RPI
rankings. McMullen is hopeful
that his team can surprise some
opponents down the stretch and
pull off an upset or two come
playoff time.
“This year we have the potential
to cause some serious damage
and go on a playoff run,” said
McMullen.
“It’s a great atmosphere to be
around right now. There’s always
a bit of a buzz around the team at
the start of the year, but we got a
new rink and I think that has motivated
us to do well throughout
the season.”
No matter where the Tigers finish
up the season, McMullen will
feel right at home.
Hometown Heroes
#SmartHockey
21