With flooding-caused road closures still hindering travel for BCHL teams, the league is making changes.

In a Monday (Nov. 29) news release, the junior A circuit said it will remove all out-of-conference matchups for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Instead, the league will be adding regional games to the schedule, making adjustments week by week.

The Chilliwack Chiefs were due to host the Trail Smoke Eaters Friday (Dec. 3) at the Chilliwack Coliseum. Instead, it鈥檒l be the Langley Rivermen providing the opposition. Langley was supposed to be in Vernon Friday night, and it鈥檒l be Trail instead.

Coquitlam was supposed to visit Vernon Saturday while Langley was scheduled to play at West Kelowna. Those two matches are postponed while a Cranbrook at Vernon game gets added to the slate.

Sunday games with Coquitlam at Cranbrook and Langley at Salmon Arm are postponed. Instead, it鈥檒l be regional matchups as the Rivermen host the Express and the Silverbacks host the Warriors.

A Salmon Arm trip to the coast to face Alberni Valley on Dec. 10 and Powell River on Dec. 11 has been postponed. Instead, the Silverbacks will visit Penticton Dec. 10.

Chilliwack Chiefs hockey boss Brian Maloney said the upside of the in-conference-only plan comes in the form of saved travel costs.

鈥淎s far as competition goes, it would be nice to see where we stack up against other powerhouse programs, but at this point in time, player safety and financial considerations are more important.鈥�

eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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