Ben Lypka
Abbotsford News
The Mission City Outlaws continue to heat up in December, and have now won three of four games in the month.
Mission continued the trend on Saturday, with a 4-3 overtime win over the Ridge Meadows Flames at the Mission Leisure Centre.
The Outlaws started the game hot, scoring three goals in the opening period to take a 3-1 lead after one. Michal Holub, Kyle Mooney and Ryan Sharma all tallied for Mission, while the Flames tied the game at one after a power play goal.
Ridge Meadows then chipped away at the lead, adding a goal in the second and third to send the game to overtime.
But it was Pacific Junior Hockey League leading scorer Baylee Wright who scored the game winner and gave Mission the win. Wright now has 21 goals, including four game-winning goals and 48 points in 26 games this season.
Outlaws goalie Keaton Dyck made 35 saves to pick up his fifth win on the season.
Mission head coach Brad Veitch said he liked the way his team responded to the adversity of losing the lead.
“We started getting into some trouble in the second, and then had the unfortunate goal that made it 3-2, then the turn-over that tied the game,” he told the Outlaws blog. “But I thought we showed some great resolve in the way we were able to finish and get the extra point.”
Veitch said the play of Wright has made a big difference for the Outlaws.
“He’s been huge,” he said. “He’s been our go-to guy all year. I think with the guys we’ve picked up, we’ve been able to give him a more manageable role in terms of ice time. It will take some adjustment for him getting a few less minutes every night, but I’m confident he’ll continue to find ways to put up points.”
Dyck said the team has finally started to create some positive momentum.
“It’s the chemistry,” he said. “We are starting to come together. We have a great group of guys that support each other; even the new guys coming in are so positive. It’s made for a really good feel on the team right now.”
The win comes off the team’s lone setback in December to the Delta Ice Hawks on Dec. 6. Mission fell 6-3.
The team will next host the North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Saturday. Faceoff is at 6:45 p.m. at the Mission Leisure Centre.
