The Langley Rivermen closed 2011 with a dominating performance, shutting out the visiting Nanaimo Clippers 5-0.
Goaltender James Barr was full value for his first career BCHL shutout, stopping all 33 shots the Clippers fired his way on Thursday at the Langley Events Centre in junior A hockey action.
Aidan Cavallini and Mario Puskarich scored in the first, while Evan Campbell and Chris Tracy found the back of the net in the second.
Campbell’s second of the night closed out the scoring in the third.
Langley now hits the road for six games to start 2012 with three games in three nights beginning Thursday (Jan. 5) in Powell River.
The Rivermen also have stops in Nanaimo and Port Alberni.
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The Cowichan Valley Capitals continue to have the Langley Rivermen’s number.
The Capitals remained perfect against the Langley junior A hockey club, defeating the Rivermen 6-1 on Wednesday (Dec. 38) in the first day of BCHL action following the holiday break.
Cowichan Valley improved to 3-0 against Langley this season.
And it was a pair of Langley Minor Hockey Association products who did the bulk of the damage.
Rookie defenceman Kyle Becker had a goal and two assists, while BCHL veteran Richard Vanderhoek notched three assists.
Darnell Dyck had the lone Langley goal, which came early in the second to cut the deficit to 2-1.
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In their final game of 2011, the Aldergrove Kodiaks fell 3-2 to the Abbotsford Pilots.
The two junior B hockey clubs squared off on Dec. 23 at Abbotsford’s MSA Arena.
After Aldergrove’s Stephen Ryan opened the scoring, Abbotsford responded with three goals to finish the period up 3-1.
Samuel Ramsey got the Kodiaks within one with a short-handed goal late in the second, but Aldergrove could not get the equalizer.
The loss cut the Kodiaks lead to four points over Abbotsford atop the PIJHL’s Harold Brittain Conference.
The Kodiaks are back in action on Wednesday (Jan. 4) when they host the Mission Icebreakers at Aldergrove Arena.
