The Ridge Meadows Flames picked up another win on Saturday night, but a tough weekend schedule is going to test the local Junior Bs.
They have two wins and an overtime loss in their last three games. This weekend, they play three games in four nights, and two of their opponents are among the teams at the top of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League.
The Flames beat the Port Moody Panthers 4-1 on Friday night at Planet Ice. The game was scoreless after the first period, but team captain Travis Oddy put his team ahead two a pair of second-period goals. MacLean Hewitt had a goal and an assist, Danny Wilson scored, and both Grant Rostvig and Shawn Tilton each had a pair of assists.
Tyler Read continued his solid play between the pipes, saving 22 of 23 shots.
The wins improve the Flames record to three wins, four losses, two overtime losses and a tie.
On Thursday night they are in Mission to take on the Outlaws, and then the next night host the Abbotsford Pilots, who are currently atop the Harold Brittain Conference with a record of 7-3-0-1. They are the winners of four straight.
The back-to-back games are tough, and the weekend schedule is made event more challenging by a Sunday night game at Burnaby Winter Club, when they face the Grandview Steelers. They own a share of the Tom Shaw Conference lead with their record of 6-2-1-2.
“It’s not an easy schedule, that’s for sure,” said coach Jamie Fiset. “It wears on you.”
He noted that the Flames played five games in nine nights from Sept. 13 to 21. The last game was against the Pilots, who easily won 7-1.
“We’ll definitely put out a better effort this weekend,” he said.
The Flames host the Pilots at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Planet Ice.
Flames boosters got a scare after Dale Howell left Friday night’s game for the hospital after an awkward mid-ice collision. He was hurt, but not injured, and Fiset is hopeful that he will be back in the lineup this weekend.
“We feel like we’re making progress,” said Fiset.
“We want to keep rolling this weekend.”
