The Langley Rivermen continued their season long 5 game home stand this past week, taking on three different teams from the BCHL’s coastal conference.
Wednesday’s game was an afternoon school day game, as the Rivermen took on the Coquitlam Express in front of 1,000+ kids from six different schools from the Langley area.
Coquitlam got the early lead, but 32 seconds later newest Rivermen forward Dalton MacGillivray scored his first goal for Langley on a deflection in front.
Then 6 minutes later Tuukka Heiskanen scored his 4th goal in the last 5 games after a he cleaned up a loose puck in front and the Riv would take a 2-1 lead going into the second period.
Coquitlam would tie it in the second period, but the Rivermen were not to be denied in front of a great crowd. Logan Morrell scored against his former team 15 seconds into the third, but once again the Express scored 19 seconds later to tie it at 3-3. The winner came from Vitaly Levyy at the 2:47 mark of the third period on his team leading 16th of the year, and Langley would stave off some late Coquitlam pressure.
Friday, Lower Mainland rivals, the Chilliwack Chiefs, would come to town for their 6th meeting of the season with Langley.
Chilliwack would take the lead 1:25 into the game on a seeing eye wrister from the blue line, and take that lead into the middle frame. Aaron Reierson would score his 8th of the season for the Rivermen 2:54 into the second period.
1 minute and 59 seconds later Chilliwack would retake the lead on a shot from the blue line, and would add on one more going into the third period leading 3-1 and had only lost once all year when leading after 40 minutes of play.
Tuukka Heiskanen would score again for Langley early on in the third period, and Luke Ashton would wire one from the blue line on his league leading 14th goal as a defenceman to tie it 3-3 and taking the game to overtime.
Caleb Elfering would win it for Chilliwack 4:38 into the extra frame following a patient first few minutes of overtime between the two teams.
Sunday’s game against Victoria would be a fast-paced game, however it was scoreless after 20 thanks to a busy first period from Rivermen goaltender Mason Beaupit.
Victoria would open the scoring 4:25 into the second on a powerplay, but Langley’s captain Vitaly Levyy would tie the game 6 minutes later for his 17th of the season on the power play to tie it 1-1.
Both teams would play a patient third period including some physical play between the two teams in their fourth meeting of the season. Despite a strong Rivermen press in the final frame, but Victoria’s Oliver Genest would win the game with 8 seconds to go.
The Rivermen now head out on a five game road trip to Powell River, Nanaimo, Alberni Valley, and West Kelowna. They are back at home on Saturday, February 24th to take on their rivals the Chilliwack Chiefs.
Written by Gideon Hill
