The 2016 calendar year ended with a thud for the Mission City Outlaws.
The club’s road woes continued, as they lost 3-1 to the North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Dec. 21, and then fell 3-2 to the Richmond Sockeyes on Dec. 22 to close out 2016.
After a scoreless first period, North Vancouver potted three goals spread out over the second and third period to cruise to the win.
Mission’s Michael Hamm added a late goal to break the Wolf Pack’s shutout bid.
The Outlaws failed to connect on all four of the club’s power play opportunities, while starting goalie Keaton Dyck made 34 saves in the loss.
There was a scary incident in the third period, as Outlaws leading scorer Baylee Wright had his head slammed into the boards by a North Vancouver player.
Wright was able to continue, but tempers flared from both teams late in the third, with 36 minutes in penalties assessed.
Mission hit the road the next day against the Sockeyes, and a third-period collapse saw them lose 3-2.
Richmond scored the lone goal in the first period, but the Outlaws roared back with a pair of goals in the second.
Matthew Mason and Michal Holub tallied for Mission in the second period to put them up 2-1 after two.
The Sockeyes tied the game at 2:34 of the third period with a power play goal, and then added another at 11:17 to hang on for the win.
Mission’s Matthew Trulsen made 32 saves in a losing effort.
The Outlaws have a solid seven wins, six losses and two overtime losses at home, while they have only five wins in 16 games on the road.
The Outlaws remain ensconced in fourth place in the Harold Brittain conference as the calendar changes to 2017, with a record of 12 wins, 17 losses and two overtime losses.
Mission is seven points behind the third-place Ridge Meadows Flames, and 25 points up on the fifth-place Surrey Knights.
Next up for the Outlaws is the PJHL’s annual New Year showcase in Richmond from Jan. 1 to 3.
Mission takes on the Port Moody Panthers on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m., and then battles the Wolf Pack on Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. Both games occur at the Minoru Arena.
The Outlaws then return to the friendly confines of the Mission Leisure Centre on Jan. 7, when they host the Knights. Faceoff is set for 6:45 p.m.
