FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd VS. CHILLIWACK CHIEFS:
The Langley Rivermen and the Chilliwack Chiefs did battle at the Langley Events Centre for a second time this season on Friday night. Coming into the game, the Chiefs had a 3-1 win advantage and were coming off two straight victories, while the 'Men lost their last two. James Barr would go up against Mitch Gillam in between the pipes.
The first period was a battle of the goaltenders. Barr and Gillam went save for save although Barr was tested seven more times than Gillam. Both teams had two power play opportunities a piece, but it was scoreless after the opening 20 minutes.
Just before the six-minute mark hit, Jakob Reichert broke the deadlock. With Phil Zielonka looking to stickhandle his way out of the Chiefs zone, Derek Sutliffe picked his pocket and fed a wide open Reichert in the slot who fired a shot between the pads of Gillam for his ninth goal of the season. The 1-0 lead did not last very long as the Chiefs would tie it up on a power play goal from captain David Thompson. Zielonka would throw the puck on goal from the left-wing that was tipped perfectly by Spencer Graboski in the slot to Thompson streaking in from the right point and buried his sixth goal. With under four minutes to go, the Rivermen would go on a power play of their own and capitalized on it. Mark Whiteley would take a pass at the blue line and put a shot through a maze of bodies in front of the goal and find it's way between the legs of Gillam to make it a 2-1 score.
The third period may have been the best 20 minutes of hockey all year from Langley. Evan Anderson got the scoring started at the 2:19 mark as he put home his own rebound in the slot for his 11th goal of the year. Less than 11 minutes later, Derek Sutliffe won a foot race to the puck in the neutral zone and took it around the Chiefs net and wrapped it in past a sliding Mitch Gillam. It was an unbelievable solo effort from the Las Vegas native and showed his world-class speed on that play. With just over a minute to go, the league's leading scorer would get in on the act. Mario Puskarich would take a perfect cross ice pass from Logan Smith and rifle home a shot top corner for his 38th goal of the campaign. The tally kept his goal streak alive to five games. In the end, Langley would pick up the 5-1 win and out shot the Chiefs 37-36.
It was a fantastic effort from the Rivermen from start to finish and were great in all three zones especially in the defensive end. Sutliffe would pick up first star honours with a goal and an assist, while Barr and Reichert were named second and third star respectively. The two teams will face-off next Friday at the Langley Events Centre at 7:15 PM.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD @ VERNON VIPERS:
The Langley Rivermen made their first and only trip up to Vernon to take on the Vipers on Saturday night. Going into the game, the Rivermen led the season series 1-0 after picking up an overtime win against them back in October. James Barr would get the start for Langley, while Austin Smith got the call in net for Vernon.
The five-hour bus ride up to Vernon seemed to get to Langley in the first period, as the Vipers were all over them to start the game. 20 seconds in, James Barr was forced to make an unbelievable pad stop on Liam board who set up perfectly by Mason Blacklock on a 2 on 1. The Vipers would keep pressing and were rewarded for their efforts on a goal from captain Brett Corkey at the 7:34 mark. Corkey played give and go with Michael Roberts in the Langley zone and was left all alone in the slot and fired a snap shot off the post and in the net past Barr’s blocker. The Rivermen would have a couple of opportunities on the power play, but could not get anything by Smith. With less than one minute to go, Craig Martin would put away a wrap around to make it 2-0 after he found a loose puck behind the Langley net. The ‘Vipes would out shoot the ‘Men 13-9 after 20 minutes.
The Rivermen would find their legs in the second period. Tanner Johnson would score his first career BCHL goal at the 5:34 mark to get his team on the board. James Robinson passed the puck out in front of the net to Mario Puskarich who fanned on his shot, but Johnson came in off the right point and slapped home a goal he will soon not forget. The goal sparked the Rivermen as they started to find their legs and were able to tie up the game on a power play goal from Matt Ustaski. Mark Whitley did a great job of entering the attacking zone on a rush and dropped a pass to a trailing Puskarich who fired a shot on Smith that let out a big rebound and in mid-air Ustaski whacked home the loose puck for his 11th.
The third period was pretty even for the most part. Both teams had chances, but none bigger than Logan Mick in the late stages. After a Vipers forward fired a shot on Barr, the rebound ended up right in front of the crease to a wide open Mick who looked like he had Barr beat, but the Langley netminder dove at the shot and kept the puck out. No goals were scored, which made way for overtime.
Early in the extra frame, rookie defenseman Tanner would cap off a night to remember. Matt Ustaski led the rush in the Vernon zone and centred a pass to Robinson who found Johnson joining the play late and beat Smith along the ice for the game winning goal. Johnson would finish as the games first star picking up his first two goals of the season. Barr would pick up his second straight win on the weekend and now has 19 on the season. Mario Puskarich 
