It was the Comox Valley Glacier Kings’ first game in a week. The Campbell River Storm were coming off a physical, double overtime loss the previous night. Advantage Glacier Kings when the teams met Dec. 19 in Courtenay, right?
Wrong.
While that Rested vs. Weary scenario seemed to be playing out through the first two periods when the Yetis led 2-1 after one period and 3-2 after two, it was the Storm who came on strong in the final frame, outscoring the Icemen 4-0 to snatch a 6-3 Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League win.
The loss was the third straight for the G-Kings and capped a 1-5 December, leaving them third in the North Division at the holiday break. The Yetis will be looking for bigger and better things in 2016 when they ring in the new year with three games in six days.
They host Saanich Braves on Jan. 2 then hit the road to take on the top two teams in the North Division: the first-place Storm on Jan. 3 and the second-place Nanaimo Buccaneers on Jan. 7.
On Dec. 19 at the Comox Valley Sports Centre, the Storm took a 1-0 lead midway through the first on Aaron Brewer’s unassisted goal.
The Yetis replied quickly with first star Justin Mirabelli (12:25) and Grayden McInnes (13:01) scoring less that a minute apart to put the home team up 2-1.
Third star Brayden McCartney’s power play goal at 14:05 of the second made it 3-1, but the Storm netted a late power-play tally (Josh Coblenz at 18:41 with Curtis Card off for holding) to keep things close.
Too close, as it turned out.
Coblenz pulled C.R. even at 3:25 off the third, then another PP goal (Gage Colpron at 8:28 with Card off for tripping) gave the visitors the lead. Braeden Cyra made it 5-3 at 12:32, then Alex Brewer’s unassisted shorthanded tally into an empty net rubbed salt in the wound. The Storm out-shot the G-Kings 37 25 with Matt Kostiw the winner and Braddock Otton the loser.
