Langley Rivermen started off a three-game weekend with a 6-1 victory over the Coquitlam Express on Friday (Sept. 20), before dropping games to Prince George and Surrey on the following nights.
Head coach Bobby Henderson called it “a little bit frustrating.”
“Saturday, I thought we outplayed Prince George all night,” Henderson told the Langley Advance Times.
“We got the bad end of some calls. It was a tough one to swallow.”
Rivermen are still gelling as a team, Henderson said.
“It’s a work in progress.”
But, he noted, they showed they can absorb setbacks.
“Our guys did a good job of circling the wagons.”
For their first win of the season, Rivermen scored three goals in the first period.
Captain Tanner Versluis led the way with two goals and an assist while Will Dow-Kenny, Matteo Pecchia, Tristan Fraser, and Kalen Szeto also scored.
For Fraser, it was his fifth goal of the season.
Braedon Fleming stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced, while Kristian Lyon also made three saves after briefly coming in relief after an equipment malfunction.
Kabir Gill scored the lone Express goal.
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Saturday night (Sept. 21) saw the Rivermen welcome the defending Fred Page Cup champion Prince George Spruce Kings, who pulled away with the 2-1 victory late on a goal from Cole Leal.
Joseph Musa tallied the lone marker for Langley and Jake Livingstone came away with his seventh assist of the season.
In Sunday’s 5-3 loss against the Surrey Eagles, Rivermen goals came from Versus, Jonathan Stein, and Brendan Budy. Pecchia had two assists in the loss.
Rivermen are currently sixth in the standing in the BCHL Mainland division, with one win and five losses.
Earlier this month, the team announced former captain Budy has elected to return to the BCHL and join the team.
As captain of the Rivermen in 2017/18, Budy netted 22 goals and 34 assists in 49 games.
Body is currently committed to play for the University of North Dakota next fall.
The 2000-born forward spent the first half of last season at the University of Denver, then played with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL in the latter half where he recorded 11 goals and 20 assists in 31 games.
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Up next for the Rivermen is back-to-back games against the Eagles this weekend.
Friday night (Sept. 27 ) they will be in Surrey at South Surrey Arena with a 7 p.m. start time.
The teams face off once again on Saturday at the Lodge with a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.
Tickets for home games can be purchased online at HappsNow.com, at the George Preston Recreation Centre “The Lodge” box office 45 minutes before puck drop, and by calling 604-229-2352 or emailing tickets@langleyrivermen.com.
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Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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