The win streak is over, but the North Delta D evils are still collecting points at a better than .500 clip.
The Pacific Junior Hockey League team lost for the first time in eight starts Friday night in Maple Ridge, but still earned a point form a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ridge Meadows Flames.
The Devils then won an important four-point game 4-1 on the road against the North Vancouver Wolf Pack Saturday, moving five points clear of the last-place team in the Tom Shaw Conference.
North Delta now has a 8-7-0-1 (won-lost-tied-overtime loss) record, three points ahead of the Grandview Steelers and six up on the 5-6-1-1 Wolf Pack.
Friday’s loss came after the Devils dominated the first period of play and took a 2-0 lead into the dressing room. Benjamin Vikich opened the scoring six minutes into the game, then Marco Romano added an insurance goal while on the power play at the 16-minute mark.
The Flames scored once in the second period and twice more in the third to go ahead 3-2 with less than 10 minutes to play.
Matthew Painchaud netted North Delta’s second powerplay goal of the contest, forcing extra time. The Flames had the only three shots on goal in the first overtime period, score on their third one for the win.
White Rock native Tyler Read was in the North Delta goal, making 21 saves on 25 shots, earning his third victory of the season.
Cloverdale’s Steve Myland was in the net for the Devils 24 hours later in North Vancouver, turning aside 26 of 27 shots for the win while lowering his goals against average to 2.51, fourth-lowest among goaltenders in the Junior B league.
North Delta and the Wolf Pack traded first period goals, both scored on the power play. Joshua Smith netted the Devils goal 10 minutes into the game, giving the visitors a lead that stood up until the final minute of the period.
The Devils blew the game open in the second period. Vikich netted the eventual winner at the 12:32 mark, and added an insurance goal just 40 seconds later. Arvin Atwal made it 4-1 38 seconds before the second intermission, then Painchaud notched the fifth North Delta goal with two minutes to play in the game.
Vikich assisted on Panchaud’s goal to finish the night with three points. Romano collected three assists, giving him five points in the two weekend games.
The Devils play three times this week, including two on home ice. They host the Abbotsford Pilots, leaders of the Harold Brittain Conference, on Halloween night tomorrow. Face off is at 7:30 p.m. in the Sungod Arena.
They host the Aldergrove Kodiaks Saturday at 6:45 p.m., then are the visitors Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Burnaby Winter club against Grandview.
