Friday, March 1st VS. Chiiliwack:
The Langley Rivermen and the Chilliwack Chiefs squared off for a second time in a week at the Langley Events Centre on Friday night. Last Friday it was the Rivermen knocking off the Chiefs 5-1 in what was a fantastic effort from, start to finish. Coming into the game, the Rivermen were winners of their last two games, while the Chiefs lost their last two. In the pipes, James Barr would go up against Mitch Gillam once again.
The Rivermen would come out of the gates flying to start the game. Mitch Gillam was tested early and often and made a few key saves for the first 10 minutes. The Rivermen would sneak one by him however eventually on a goal from Nathan Craft at the 10:47 mark. The goal was all courtesy of Ben Butcher who took the puck in the Chiefs zone with speed down the left-wing and spotted a streaking Craft going to the net and put it off his stick and in past Gillam. Less than four minutes later, Austin Azurdia would put away his 18th goal of the year. Azurdia and his line-mates Matt Ustaski and Derek Sutliffe would we rewarded from their hard-working shift down low as Sutliffe took a pass in the slot and fired a shot that rebounded right to Azurdia who put it in to the empty goal. In the late stages of the period, Langley would get into penalty trouble and were down two men for close to two minutes. Trevor Hills would put away the Chiefs first of the game off an Austin Plevy rebound to cut the lead to one.
In the second period, the Chiefs would erase the two goal deficit on a goal from Josh Hansen. The former member of the Langley Chiefs was able to jump on a rebound off a long point shot and buried his 21st of the year. The Rivermen would continue to make their way to the penalty box as they were handed six straight penalties in the middle frame. During Turner Popoff's four minute penalty, Mitch McLain would get two short handed breakway's on the same shift, but could not sneak one by Gillam. On the next shift, Evan Campbell would get a breakaway pass from Mario Puskarich and the PoCo native would finish off a pretty move to get his team up 3-2. The lead would be short-lived as Spencer Graboski scored the equalizer on the next shift as he wired home a shot from the slot on a great feed from Phil Zielonka behind the goal.
In the third period, The Rivermen would capitalize on their fifth chance on the power play. The first PP unit did a great job of working the puck around the perimeter that eventually made it's way to Mark Whiteley who flicked a long shot from the point through a maze of bodies that found the back of the net. It was Whiteley's sixth goal of the year and credit him for noticing Gillam was screened and just let the shot go from the blueline. The Chiefs were pretty much held at bay for the remainder of the third period and came up short as Barr turned away all nine shots he faced.
The Rivermen would pick up their third straight win in front of a great crowd of 2013 people, and third straight overall against the Chiefs evening up the season series at 3-3. Evan Campbell would pick up first star honours with a goal and an assist on his birthday none other. Whiteley was second star, while Graboski was the third.
SATURDAY: March 2nd @ Prince George:
The Langley Rivermen arrived in Prince George in the morning of gameday after travelling on the bus all night after Friday night's game at home against Chilliwack. It was the second trip to PG to play a double-header and going into Saturday night, the Rivermen led the season series 4-3. It was a big game in the standings for both teams as Langley could clinch a playoff spot with a win, while Prince George could seal up third spot in the Mainland Division with a victory of their own. In the pipes, it was a battle of the Surrey natives as James Barr got the start for Langley, while Kirk Thompson got the call for PG.
Before the puck dropped, you had to wonder what kind of start the Rivermen were going to have after a long night on the bus. That question was answered right away as the Spruce Kings came out flying and the 'Men seemed to be stuck in quicksand. Mark Begert wired home the opening goal just past the three-minute mark on a nice play set up by David Stephens who stole the puck in the Rivermen zone. Over five minutes later the Spruce Kings would capitalize on their first power play of the game. Cam Lawson entered the Langley zone on a rush and set up Shayne Morrissey on the right-wing who slapped home his 19th goal of the campaign. The Spruce Kings would out-shoot the Rivermen 14-6 in the opening frame.
Langley would start off the second period on the right foot. Mario Puskarich continued his point streak to eight games as he fired home a shot in the slot off a great pass from Evan Campbell on the right wall. For Puskarich it was his league leading 39th goal and 81st point. The Rivermen would start finding their stride after that goal and had plenty of opportunities to tie the game, but Thompson was in the zone stopping everything he faced. The 'Kings would build off their goaltenders strong play and would get their two goal lead back courtesy of Coltyn Hansen. With time winding down, Hansen went on a two on one in the Rivermen end and elected to shoot and the decision paid off as he beat Barr top corner above the glove.
In the third period. the Rivermen would run out of gas and Chad Staley put them away scoring the Spruce Kings fourth goal of the game and chased Barr. The Rivermen would out-shoot PG 34-29 after it was all said and done, but the Spruce Kings would take the game 4-1.
Sunday, March 3rd @ Prince George:
