The Abbotsford Pilots eked out a narrow 6-5 win over the Aldergrove Kodiaks on a power play with just six seconds left in the game Wednesday at Aldergrove Area.
It was a heartbreaker for the Kodiaks, who are locked in a battle with Mission Outlaws for the fourth place spot in the PJHL’ sHarold Britain conference playoffs. The Kodiaks stand at 31 points after 40 games (14-23-1-2) and the Outlaws are at 31 points after 41 games (15-25-0-1).
The Kodiaks have one remaining game in hand against the Richmond Sockeyes tonight before the Kodiaks and Outlaws meet this Saturday night in Mission for their deciding final regular season game against each other. The Kodiaks’ final games will both be away games, Wednesday against the Langley Trappers and Thursday against the Surrey Knights, while the Outlaws’ final two games will be Friday against the Surrey Knights and Saturday at home against the Ridge Meadow Flames.
The Kodiaks got off to a shaky start against the Pilots in the first period Wednesday, with both teams getting 11 shots on goal each but the Pilots scoring on three for a 3-0 lead.
The Pilots scored one more in the second period before the Kodiaks started their comeback, with four goals to bring the Kodiaks just one goal short of the Pilots at the end of the period, despite being outshot 12-9 by the Pilots.
Scoring for Aldergrove were Matt Oliver on a power play (from Davin Padgham), Oliver on another power play (from Padgham and Kyle Bosky), Cole Pisiak (from Nate Castonguay and Padgham) and John Lee (from Padgham).
Midway through the third period the Kodiaks scored a tie, by Kyle Bosko assisted by Brendan Marfleet. The action was fast and fierce, but with less than two minutes left in the game Kodiak Ty Pickering got two minutes and a misconduct for high sticking and the Kodiaks were on the defensive. The Pilots’ Jacob De Waal scored on the power play with six seconds left in the game.
The Pilots outshot the Kodiaks 32-28 and Padgham was the game’s second star.
