With a win and an overtime loss against a junior B juggernaut, the Ridge Meadows Flames appear to have gotten back to a successful style of hockey.
The Flames beat the Aldergrove Kodiaks 3-1 on Friday, holding off the team that is right behind them in the Harold Brittain Conference standings – The Flames are in third place.
The next night they played the second game of a back-to-back against the Port Moody Panthers, and lost in overtime to get a single point.
Coach Bayne Ryshak said it was not a bad effort to take three out of a possible four points.
“I’ve been pretty happy with our game the last couple of weeks,” he said.
Against Aldergrove, Paul Tucek made 30 saves on 31 shots to get the win in goal, holding his team in the game until the offence kicked in.
Following a scoreless first period, the Kodiaks scored early in the second on the power play. They kept the lead until late in the second, when reliable scorer Tetsuya Prior tied it at 14:30, on what Ryshak called “a good individual effort.”
Jesse Nelson got the game winner just 13 seconds into the third period, as Nicholas Amsler got in on the forecheck and created a turnover. He got it to Nelson in front of the net, and he make a backhand-forehand deke and flipped the puck over the netminder.
Emmett Garrett scored an empty netter to quash any real Kodiak comeback hopes.
The Panthers game was close all the way, with the Flames leading 4-3 as the game wound down, and the Panthers scoring with 19 seconds to go, storming the Flames net with an extra player on the ice.
The Port Moody power play struck three times in seven chances, while the Flames went one-for-seven.
Jayden Genberg had a goal and an assist in the game, and also had a helper in Friday night’s action.
“He was always involved in the play, and creating lots of turnovers,” said Ryshak.
Prior also had a goal and an assist, while Brett Didyk and Brandon Armstrong also scored.
After the weekend, the Flames have a record of 11-10-0-3 so far in this Pacific Junior Hockey League season.
The Flames called Maple Ridge midget player Kenyon Nyman up for both games, and Ryshak said he did a great job.
“He was awesome this weekend. He’s a two-way defenceman who makes a good first pass, has a good stick, and is not flashy but very reliable.”
He said Nyman would have made the team out of camp, but the team is limited to just two 16-year-old players. He has an assist in five games so far this year, and is allowed to play up to 10 games.
• On Thursday the Flames will be at Minoru Arena to take on the Richmond Sockeyes, and then the next night host the Expansion White Rock Whalers in their regular Friday night, 7:30 p.m. tilt at Cam Neely Arena.
