The Mission City Outlaws were desperate to keep their season alive in their opening round series against the Aldergrove Kodiaks.
That desperation manifested itself into a blowout win in Pacific Junior Hockey League playoff action Sunday at the Mission Leisure Centre.
Trailing the Kodiaks 3-0 in their best-of-seven set and on the brink of elimination, the Outlaws handed the visitors their worst loss of the season by rolling to a resounding 8-0 victory.
Sammy Zeinab (two goals, two assists) and Michael Hamm (two goals, one assist) led the Outlaws offence.
The Kodiaks – the PJHL’s top regular season team with a stellar 36-7 record – were coming off a 5-3 win over the Outlaws the night before in Mission.
In doing so they looked poised to sweep the Outlaws, who, after winning the league playoff title last year, finished fourth in the Harold Brittain Conference with an underwhelming 18-22-0-4 mark.
But it was the Outlaws who stunned the Kodiaks in a big way to force a game five.
This, despite the Kodiaks outshooting the Outlaws 47-31 overall.
During Saturday’s win, the Kodiaks levied 66 shots on goal and got goals from Eric Callegari, Kyle Bosko, Matt Oliver, Lincoln Lane, and Quinncy Leroux.
The Kodiaks will have another chance to finish the series on Wednesday when they host the Outlaws at Aldergrove Arena.
Game time is 7:15 p.m.
