The Langley Rivermen returned home for a pair of games prior to the Christmas break this past weekend, taking on the Nanaimo Clippers and Powell River Kings.
The first period on Friday started off positively for the visiting team, as the Clippers had themselves in the lead 2-0 after a minute and a half of play. Langley responded well acquiring a power play right after the second Clippers goal, but were unable to get one back midway through the opening period. Nanaimo acquired two more goals three minutes apart to take a 4-0 lead into the second period.
“We didn’t play our best in the first period on Friday, but full credit to our team coming out and dominating the second period,” said Rivermen head coach and general manager Burt Henderson following the game.
The Rivermen came out flying to begin the middle frame, as Morgan Brady fired home his first in the BCHL 33 seconds into the second period. Nanaimo made it 5-1 off a fluky play in front despite the best efforts of the Rivermen’s defence to keep the puck out of the net.
But, it was all Rivermen from there on out. Conner Schneider connected on a power play goal off a feed from Oskar Komarov, and 1:03 later Adyn Merrick would convert a stellar pass from Riv captain Vitaly Levyy to make it a 5-3 game going into the third period.
Langley came out flying in the third period, hitting a post in the first few minutes, and shortly after had a glorious chance through Merrick, but Clippers goaltender Chazz Nixon who was making his debut in the game, was exceptional in the third period turning aside 14 shots in the final period to hold the help his team to a 5-3 victory.
Saturday night was Teddy Bear Toss at the Lodge as the Powell River Kings made their second visit to Langley this season.
After a tense first few minutes and lots of looks in the first period, it took until the 16:51 minute of the first period for the teddies to fly, as Luke Ashton ripped his 10th of the season to give the Rivermen a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later, Aaron Reierson sniped a shot from the left wing to give his team a 2-0 lead going into the second period.
The Kings would start the second period strong, and made it a one goal game on a rebound in front with 7:49 gone in the second period.
However, seven minutes later Ewan Rennie would score his second of the season on a power play, beating Kings goaltender Owen Crudale in tight making it 3-1 Rivermen. 1:14 later, Powell River made it a one goal game going into the third period.
But, it would be all Rivermen from there on out, as captain Vitaly Levyy scored his 14th of the season on the power play making it 4-2. And 1:54 later Luke Ashton would score his second of the game on a slap shot from the blue line making it a 5-2 game, and the home team would cruise from there to a win.
“It was great to see us get rewarded for all our hard work on Saturday, and it was awesome to see the fan support both nights and especially against Powell River with all the teddy bears benefitting those less fortunate,” said Henderson.
The Rivermen are now off until December 29th, when they head to Chilliwack to take on the Chiefs, and return home on December 30th to take on the Surrey Eagles at the George Preston Arena, tickets can be purchased at www.langleyrivermen.com.
