The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals had plenty to be thankful for as they kicked off Thanksgiving weekend with an 11-2 romp over the Peninsula Panthers Friday night in Saanich. But the offensive gluttony may have left the cupboard bare for the following night’s 2-1 home loss to the Comox Valley Glacier Kings at Oceanside Place Arena.
“I think we actually played better tonight than (Friday) night,” Generals coach Gerry Bickerton said after his squad outshot Comox 46-31 only to be left unrewarded. “We hit at least four posts and had a lot of favourable scoring chances. It’s just so frustrating.”
The team will hope for better luck — and a bit of revenge — when they welcome the Victoria Cougars Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and the same Glacier Kings Sunday at 2:30 p.m. for a home doubleheader weekend Oct. 15-16.
Last weekend’s showing did serve to rinse away the bitter taste of a loss the previous week to Campbell River, a game in which the Gens (3-6-0-1) suffered a third-period collapse. In both games, Oceanside took command of the tempo, won battles on the boards, kept up pressure in the offensive zone and went a perfect 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.
But Comox goalie Marcus Gloss had a memorable evening while stopping 45 shots and earning Saturday’s first star.
Most importantly, the win allowed the Glacier Kings (8-3-0) to move nine points ahead of the Generals, their nearest pursuers in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s North Division.
“This one hurts, because we outplayed them for 60 minutes, and could have got within five points (in the standings),” Bickerton said. “The guys did all the right things; we just can’t catch a break.”
Oceanside Generals forward Ethan Sundstrom, right, reaches over the raised stick of Comox Valley’s Jake McKenzie during the teams’ VIJHL game at Oceanside Place Arena Saturday. — Image credit: J.R. Rardon/PQB NEWS
The Generals had outshot the Glacier Kings 14-3 when the visitors got on the scoreboard at 13:13 of the opening period, on an opportunistic rebound goal by Zach Ahola as Gens goalie Matt Henwood reached to cover the puck.
The game-winner came almost off the second-period draw, when Willie Daigneault snapped off a wrister to cap a Comox rush just 15 seconds into the period.
Josh Harvey drew the Generals to 2-1 at 5:18 of the second, on a power-play goal from the point off assists from Brandon Roberge and Matteo Giomo. But with almost 35 minutes of hockey remaining, that would prove to be the last of the scoring in this one.
“It’s gotta be frustrating for the home fans, when your team puts up 46 shots and doesn’t get the win,” said Bickerton.
Generals 11, Panthers 2
What began as a game between the bottom-dwellers in the VIJHL’s North and South divisions turned into a laugher — and ended with Oceanside in third place, ahead of the Nanaimo Buccaneers in the North.
Ethan Sundstrom and Roberge each scored hat tricks and Giomo and Landon Dziadyk each scored two goals in the romp. Roberge added two assists as part of a five-point night, and Max Creighton led the table-setters with three assists.
The Generals went 3-for-7 on the power play and allowed just one man-advantage opportunity to the host Panthers (1-9-0-2). Brody Greggain picked up his second win of the season in goal.
