A perfect weekend has pushed the Langley Rivermen into top spot of the BCHL’s Mainland Division.
The junior a hockey club swept both ends of a home-and-home series with the Surrey Eagles — 4-3 at South Surrey Arena on Friday and 5-1 at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday — before rallying for a come-from-behind 3-2 overtime victory over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Sunday afternoon at the LEC.
The results leave Langley with a four-game winning streak and a 7-3-0-1 record overall.
“The secret is commitment to defence,” said Rivermen coach Bobby Henderson.
“The guys are taking care of their own zone first and foremost, and then working for what they are getting up front.
“The guys are really committed to eliminating odd-man rushes, eliminating second and third chances in front of our goalies.”
And while it is nice to get some positive results for their efforts, Henderson said the team is not surprised by the success.
“We expected to do well this year,” he said.
“It was tough the previous weekend with the injuries and we got some guys back, so it is starting to head in the direction that we like.”
The team’s play has earned them an honourable mention in the most recent Canadian Junior Hockey League top 20 rankings. Only two BCHL teams — Powell River (#4) and Penticton (#16) are ahead of the Rivermen.
Rivermen 3 Bulldogs 2
After a scoreless first period, Alberni potted a pair of goals less than a minute apart from Craig Martin and Kurt Gosselin to take the lead after 40 minutes. But Tanner Johnson got the comeback going and Matt Ustaski notched the equalizer three minutes later.
And Austin Azurdia scored the winner 4:22 into overtime.
Brock Crossthwaite stopped 21 of 23 shots he faced.
Rivermen 5 Eagles 1
Azurdia and Jakob Reichert put Langley ahead 2-0 in the first period and the team never looked back cruising to a 5-1 victory.
Tanner Johnson had the lone goal of the middle period for a 3-0 before Surrey broke Crossthwaite’s shutout bid with a goal from Michael Roberts early in the third. Crossthwaite finished with 24 saves.
Will Cook and Chris Forney — the latter of which came on the power play — responded for the final 5-1 score.
The line of Will Cook (one goal, one assist), James Robinson (three assists) and Azurdia (one goal, one assist) had a fantastic night as the trio combined for seven points in the victory.
Rivermen 4 Eagles 3
Three goals in a four-minute second-period span broke open a 1-1 tie.
Langley’s Nathan Craft, Mitch McLain and Azurdia all scored in that span.
Robinson had opened the scoring for Langley with a power-play goal late in the first, but Surrey’s Nicolas Pierog tied it up 2:35 into the second.
The Eagles attempted to rally in the third with Danton Heinen cutting the lead early in the third. Brett Mulcahy made it 4-3 but that goal came with just 11 seconds remaining.
•••••
After playing three games apiece on back-to-back weekends, the Rivermen have two contests this weekend: Friday at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Centre against the Coquitlam Express and then Saturday at the LEC against Surrey.
