All about the Numbers: HE CAN’T HELP THAT HE’S A STAR

SRJC’s Top 10 statistics of the 2015-16 season: No. 3 — Points leader Josiah Nikkel

​For years we’ve watched Josiah Nikkel dangle his way around opposing skaters to carve his name at the top of SRJC’s points leader list. 

He’s led the SRJC Hockey team in points for three years, totaling 92 goals and 97 assists in 68 career games. With that kind of production on his resumè, there wasn't any real doubt he wouldn't be at the top of the leaderboard once again this year.

However, Nikkel began the season a little slow — slow for a superstar like him, not for ordinary folks like us. Sophomore forward Matt Katicich actually held the points leader spot for a good chunk of the first half. Katicich had more goals than Nikkel, but only half the assists.

"During the first half of the season I wasn't feeling like I was playing my A-game. I did a lot better the second half," Nikkel said. 

And he was right.

Nikkel scored 12 goals, 16 assists from September to December, but 17 goals, 15 assists in the second half of the season.  He ended the year with a total of 29 goals, 31 assists, and the points leader title.

Overall, he scored six power plays, one shorterhander and four game-winners. He lead the team in power play goals and game winning shots, but both Stephen Wolmarans and Max Brownlee had one more shorthanded goal on the year. 

Nikkel's 60 points on the season is nearly twice the amount of SRJC’s next top scorer; actually the total of both the second and third top guys (Wolmarans and David Lundgren) combined barely beats Nikkel's total. 

After this season, Nikkel's career stats bump up to 121 goals, 128 assists. That's good for first place on SRJC's all-time scorers list — with a 45-goal difference between him and Polar Bear legend Adam Johnson, who sits at No. 2 with 76 goals, 87 assists.

While grabbing the points leader spot for the fourth year in a row is a pretty nifty honor, it wasn't his most impressive stat of the season. Nikkel scored five hat tricks in 25 games; three in back-to-back weekends in January. That is the most hat tricks he has ever scored in season. And we're pretty sure that is the most by any Polar Bear in a year ever.

Nikkel's out-of-this-world numbers are no suprise to us superfans; especially considering that the Polar Bear captain was only silenced in three games. But we're taking those occurances as a sure sign that the world is ending.

With only one year left in a Polar Bears' jersey, Captain Josiah Nikkel is ready to make it one to remember.

"It's a bittersweet moment to think about next season," Nikkel said. "I've already started getting ready for next season. Looking for five [Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association] Championships in a row."

Tune in Thursday, March 24 to see what No. 2 is on SRJC’s Top 10 Statistics of the 2015-16 season. 

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