Salmon Arm’s Matthew Johnston couldn’t figure out why his friends were coming up to him in the hallways and congratulating him.
The friends knew something Johnston didn’t – he was the Bill Ohlhausen Division nominee for the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League’s Most Sportsmanlike Player award, which he ended up winning.
“I was very shocked when I saw it (nomination),” said Johnston, 17. “I didn’t know what they were talking about. Then my coach called and said ‘congratulations.’ I just had to see for myself if it was true. It was really an honour.”
Johnston defeated the three other division nominees – Corbin Cockerill, Creston Valley Thundercats; Tyson Lautard, Nelson Leafs; Reid Stumpf, 100 Mile House Wranglers – for the season-ending honour. He was third in team scoring with 30 points in 36 games but amassed a mere six minutes in penalties in those contests.
He credits the Knights’ coaching staff for helping him become a better player and improving his hockey sense to play a disciplined game, and also credited another factor.
“The most important part of me not taking penalties is having a black belt in taekwon-do to be able to control myself and my anger when I do get angry,” said Johnston. “I don’t take it out on others. My coaches really helped me decide when to be aggressive and when to hold back. I thank them for how I play.”
The Knights missed the KIJHL playoffs, finishing fifth in the Ohlhausen Division.
Johnston also received the Knights’ Scholastic Player of the Year award as a French immersion honour roll student.
The Sportsman of the Year award builds on the one Johnston received as a Salmon Arm Minor Hockey player on the Pee Wee rep team.
Johnston will move up a level in 2022-23, committing to the Junior A Grande Prairie Storm of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
• Spallumcheen goalie and former Knights player Caedon Bellmann will play for a provincial Junior B hockey championship.
Bellmann is one of two goalies with the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s Langley Trappers, who won the league playoff title Wednesday, March 30, with a 3-2 win over the White Rock Whalers, taking the best-of-seven championship series in five games.
Bellmann and the Trappers will join the host Delta Ice Hawks of the PJHL for the four-team Cyclone Taylor Cup April 10-13 in Ladner. They will be accompanied by the winners of the KIJHL and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League titles.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies took a 3-1 lead in the KIJHL’s Teck Cup final into Game 5 at home Thursday, March 31, against the Nelson Leafs.
And after being a game away from elimination, Parksville’s Oceanside Generals are now a game away from forcing Game 7 in the VIJHL championship with the Peninsula Panthers of North Saanich.
The Panthers host Game 6 Friday, April 1, with a 3-2 series lead which once was three games to none. If the Generals force Game 7, it will be Saturday, April 2, in Parksville.