Prince George native Chris Jandric delivered the winning goal for the Trois-Rivieres Lions that cinched the team’s first ECHL Kelly Cup championship Saturday in front of their home fans in Quebec.
The 26-year-old defenceman took a drop-pass from Justin Ducharme and let go a point shot that found its way through a screen 11 minutes into the third period and the Lions went on to beat the Toledo Walleye 4-1 and win the championships series in five games.
The five-foot-11, 181-pound Jandric was one of the offensive catalysts all season for the Lions. He finished fourth in team scoring with 10 goals and 40 assists for 50 points in 54 games. He also had two assists in five games this past season for the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate.
In 21 playoff games for Trois-Rivieres he had four goals and nine assists, second among ECHL defencemen.
After playing college hockey at Alaska-Fairbanks and North Dakota, Jandric started his pro career in the Buffalo Sabres’ organization with the Jacksonville Icemen/Rochester Americans and joined the Lions midway through the 2023-24 season.
Jandric’s older brother Steven, 27, a left winger, plays for Lukko Rauma of the Finnish Liga, the top pro league in Finland. He finished second in team scoring with 45 points in 60 games and picked up 10 points in 11 playoff games.
The sons of Tom and Sandra Jandric were hockey teammates in Prince George in 2014-15 with the 18U Cariboo Cougars.
Trois-Rivieres swept the Reading Royals in the first ECHL playoff round, then defeated Norfolk Admirals in six games and eliminated the three-time defending champion Florida Everblades in a six-game Eastern Conference final series.’
The Lions joined the ECHL in 2021.
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