Two of the British Columbia Hockey League's top scoring threats were recognized amongst the season's top performers Wednesday when the league unveiled the winners of its Coastal and Interior Conference Awards, which were voted upon by members of the media who cover the BCHL.

Carlo Finucci of the Burnaby Express was named the Coastal Conference MVP while Vernon Viper Hunter Bishop netted Interior Conference honours. Finucci led the BCHL in points during the 2007/08 season with 102 points while Bishop topped all goal scorers with 57 and paced his club with 14 points in ten playoff games.

"I think a lot of my success this season was from experience, having played in the league three years now," Bishop says. "I definitely played with two great players - the Jones twins - and they set me up nicely a bunch of times. It's a huge honour to be the conference MVP and it's something I'll remember forever."

Vipers head coach and general manager Mark Ferner believes Bishop's achievements were the product of a lot of skill and even more hard work.

"I've never seen a kid who's more dedicated to the game of hockey in all my years in the game," Ferner says. "On and off the ice he's been more than what we've expected. His conditioning, attitude and preparation are fantastic and he was rewarded for a great season."

Meanwhile, Matt Irwin of the Nanaimo Clippers and Westside Warrior Justin Schultz took home the Top Defenceman awards. Schultz, a highly-ranked prospect for this year's NHL Draft, posted 40 points in 57 games this season and made life difficult for opposition forwards with his speed and poise with the puck.

Irwin, whose Clippers will face Penticton in the Fred Page Cup Final, scored 16 goals, added 37 assists and was one of the league's top offensive defencemen.

"Matt is so well respected for his consistency and because he's such a gentleman on and off the ice," Nanaimo head coach and general manager Bill Bestwick says of Irwin. "He leads by example and his offensive prowess really speaks for itself. An honour like this just serves to demonstrate how highly he's thought of around the league."

Another Clipper, Eric Filiou, was named the Interior Conference's Rookie of the Year.

"Eric is such a well-rounded player on both sides of the puck," Bestwick says. "He has a real gift for distributing the puck, he sees the ice well and he's willing to play a defensive style when the time comes for that. He's just an all-around good player."

Prince George Spruce King Jordy Christian, whose 39 goals and 45 assists led all first year BCHLers, received Interior Conference rookie honours.

Scott Knowles of the Surrey Eagles and Penticton Vee Zac Dalpe were each recognized as their conference's Most Sportsmanlike Player recognition. Knowles finished fourth in league scoring and his 90 points dwarfed a mere 24 minutes in penalties while Dalpe, who was also a nominee for the Interior Conference ROY award, took just seven minor penalties this season.

"Zac plays a disciplined-style game but he's also a fierce competitor," Vees head coach Fred Harbinson says. "He always played hard and he was one of the great skill players in the league this season."

Harbinson had another award to discuss: his own. The Penticton bench boss was named the Interior Conference's Coach of the Year in his first season since joining the club from St. Cloud State University.

"I really look at it as a team award and a staff award," he says. "When you win something like this it usually means your team did pretty well, and our assistant coaches did a tremendous job."

Nanaimo Clippers' boss Bill Bestwick was voted the Coastal Conference's top coach after guiding his club to a league-best 42-14-0-4 record 

"It's very special anytime you're considered for an individual award," Bestwick says. "I'm very fortunate to be surrounded by great players, staff, and volunteers and I'm very grateful for all those people. We'll take this as a team award."

A number of other players were honoured with awards based on the statistics they accumulated during the 2007/08 BCHL regular season.

Carlo Finucci earned the Brett Hull Trophy, which recognizes the league's points leader and Penticton Vees netminder Alex Evin took home the Top Goaltender Award, which is presented to the starting netminder who posts the lowest goals-against average.

Evin and Bryan Mountain were also awarded the Wally Forslund Memorial Trophy after allowing the fewest goals of any netminding tandem in the BCHL.

Finally, Guy Bertrand of the Trail Daily Times was named the league's Media Person of the Year for his diligent, professional coverage of Junior A hockey in British Columbia. Bertrand's reputation as a journalist in hockey circles was strengthened by his excellent coverage of the World Junior A Challenge in Trail and Nelson in November.

Congratulations to all of the British Columbia Hockey League's award winners for the 2007/08 season!