The North Island Eagles midget rep team played two very different games in Vancouver Island Hockey League tiering action last weekend, and came home with very different results to show for the effort.
At Victoria Saturday, Eric Kennelly snapped a 1-1 tie with a goal midway through the second and goalie Stevyn Ruel kept the host Ice Hawks off the board the rest of the way as the Eagles rolled to a 4-1 victory.
The following day at Saanich, one solid period of play degenerated into a penalty-plagued romp for the Braves, who scored eight unanswered goals en route to an 11-2 victory.
Tyson Cadwallader, Chad Bell and Thomas Coon added goals in Saturday’s win. Malcolm Browne had two assists and Kennelly, Cadwallader and Darryl Coon each added a helper.
An unassisted goal by Bell and Ty Brittain’s score off assists from Brandon Purdey and Robbie Heavenor had the Eagles within 3-2 of Saanich through one period Sunday. But the North Islanders racked up 24 penalty minutes the rest of the way and paid the price as the host Braves pulled away to the lopsided win.
The midgets will be home for their three remaining tiering games, beginning with a 2 p.m. game Saturday in Port Hardy against Comox Valley. Following the Thanksgiving weekend break from league play, the midgets will host a pair of games in Port McNeill the weekend of Oct. 13, facing Nanaimo B at 2 p.m. Saturday and Campbell River B at 11 a.m. Sunday.
