The Langley Trappers are inching towards the .500 mark.
A 2-1 win over the Mission City Outlaws at the George Preston Recreation Centre on Wednesday improves Langley’s junior B team’s record to 5-7, while allowing the Trappers to leapfrog over the Aldergrove Kodiaks (4-5-0-1) into sole possession of third place in the Pacific Junior Hockey League Harold Brittain Conference standings.
Eighteen-year-old Trappers goaltender Brendan Carew was deservedly named as the game’s first star, stopping 32 of 33 Outlaws shots.
The Trappers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of action on goals from Hollander Thompson and Carter Graham, then held on for the one-goal victory.
After a scoreless second period, Kyle Mooney brought the Outlaws to within a goal when he scored on a power play 2:12 into the final frame, but that was as close as the visitors would come.
The mid-week win avenged the Trappers’ 7-5 loss to the Outlaws Saturday at the Mission Leisure Centre.
The Trappers are off to a strong start to October, now having won two of three games to open the month, after defeating the Port Moody Panthers 4-1 at the GPRC on Oct. 4.
Up next for the Trappers is a visit to the Ladner Leisure Centre next Tuesday, Oct. 17, for a date with the Delta Ice Hawks. It will be a tough test. The Ice Hawks lead the PJHL’s Tom Shaw Conference with a 9-1 record and shellacked the Trappers 9-1 in the last meeting between the teams Sept. 27 at the GPRC.
Kodiaks tamed
Also Oct. 11 at Aldergrove Arena, the visiting Grandview Steelers clipped the Kodiaks 3-2.
The Steelers scored three times in a 59 second-span during the opening frame and then held on for the victory.
The Kodiaks stormed back in the third period with goals from Tyler Cannon and Clayton Schroeder, on an Aldergrove power play. Schroeder’s goal, which narrowed the deficit to 3-2, came with 5:58 to play in regulation.
The Steelers’ Anthony Benevoli (7:51), Ian Prevost (8:15), and Connor Alderson (8:50) scored in rapid success in the first period.
On Saturday night, the Kodiaks will visit the Mission City Outlaws at the Mission Leisure Centre. Game time is 6:45 p.m.
