Cloverdale HC captures first ever playoff series win
Published 9:00 pm Monday, March 2, 2026
Chalk one up for the underdog.
Cloverdale HC battled their way to 4-2 series win in their first-ever playoff series.
The expansion club finished fifth in the Harold Brittain Conference standings and played the fourth-place Abbotsford Pilots in the first round of the PJHL playoffs.
Captain Zachary Johns said the team was elated to get the series victory.
“The last game’s always the hardest to win, the fourth game,” Johns noted. “I experienced that a lot with White Rock over the past years, too. Just mentally, and the other team kind of wants it a lot more because their season’s on the line. But I’m just really glad we got it done in six.”
Johns played four seasons with the White Rock Whalers, deciding to come home to Cloverdale to play for his expansion hometown club and compete in his last season in junior as a 20-year-old. Johns has played more than 200 regular season games and more than 40 postseason games in 5 years in the PJ.
He said facing the Whalers will be a challenge, but he and the squad are up for it. He said they’ree quite happy to wear the underdog label for the series.
Johns added it’s going to be a little weird for him to battle against the Whalers having played 208 games in a Whalers jersey.
“We’re excited for it. I’m excited for it. It’s going to be a challenge for sure, but we feel pretty confident going into this.”
He’s either played with or knows basically everyone on the White Rock squad.
“It’s a little strange, but it’ll be fun.”
Johns noted the franchise’s first-ever playoff series win means a lot to Cloverdale HC.
“It established us as a respectable team in this league,” he explained. “I don’t think there are many teams—right off their first season—that are going to make it past the first round of playoffs and beat a team like Abbotsford. I think it kind of shows what Cloverdale is made of.”
Cloverdale dropped the opening tilt of the seven-game series with the Pilots 7-3, but bounced back to win three consecutive games (8-3, 4-3, 5-2), before narrowly losing Game 5 by a 3-2 count. The club hosted Abby at The Barn Feb. 26 and closed out the series with a 4-2 win—with Johns adding an empty-netter.
In Game 6, Cloverdale was up 2-1 going into the 3rd—on goals from Keenan Connor (1st period) and Mattteo Galasso (2nd period). Max Lyons added an insurance marker 1:47 into the final frame, with Calvin Bright and Johns picking up helpers. Abbotsford clawed back to within one about 10 minutes later after a power play goal. The game remained close for the final seven minutes until Johns sealed the game with 18 seconds left.
“The empty-netter felt good,” Johns added. “I got robbed on a penalty shot earlier in the game. I had a lot of shots on net and I really wanted a goal. So it felt good even though there wasn’t a goalie in the net.”
Cloverdale was already on the power play early in the second when Johns was tripped on a breakaway.
Cloverdale HC’s first ever playoff series win comes after a respectable inaugural season. Cloverdale managed to go .568 over 44 games as an expansion club, posting 28 wins and 18 losses with 2 shootout losses—good for 50 points and a fifth-place finish (3 points behind the Pilots).
The puck will drop for Game 1 of the Brittain Conference semi-finals March 4, 8 p.m., at Centennial Arena in White Rock. The Whalers dumped the Aldergrove Ironmen 4-0 in their first round series by a combined score of 37-3.
Cloverdale HC will host the Whalers in Game 2 March 5 at The Barn as the series follows a home-and-home format for the entire series. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
Johns invited anyone who wants to see some fast-paced, entertaining hockey to get down to The Barn to cheer the club on March 5.
“The playoff games, so far, have been pretty electric,” he added. “Our last game had an amazing turnout. They’re fun games, lots of goals, and lots of excitement.”
To follow the team, visit pjhl.net.