After back to back losses to Prince George and Merritt Monday and Wednesday night, the Chilliwack Chiefs got back in the win column with a shutout of the Spruce Kings Thursday.
Here’s the latest from the BCHL club as they host pod games at the Chilliwack Coliseum.
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APRIL 12 – Chilliwack 3 at Prince George 5
The Chiefs out shot the Spruce Kings 28-17, but PG’s Jordan Fairlie out-dueled Chilliwack’s Mathieu Caron in the battle of the netminders.
PG winger Carter Cochrane opened the scoring late in the first period and his team led 1-0 through 20 minutes. A power play goal by Chilliwack’s Tanner Andrew knotted the score at 8:34 of period two, but Prince George regained the lead at 17:24 on a goal by Nick Rheaume.
The Quebec kid struck again early in period three to give his crew a 3-1 lead.
An Ethan Bowen tally at 7:33 cut it to 3-2, and was answered 74 seconds later with a shorthanded goal by PG forward Rowan Miller.
Chilliwack got within a goal again at 12:09, with Andrew collecting his second of the game, but with Caron on the bench for the extra attacker, Cochrane iced the game with a last-minute empty netter.
Three stars were Rheaume (first), Cochrane (second) and Andrew (third).
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APRIL 14 – Merritt 5 at Chilliwack 4
A similar story Wednesday night as Chilliwack out shot Merritt 34-20, but lost by a goal.
The teams traded first period tallies in this one, with Chiefs speedster Brett Rylance scoring shorthanded at 7:17 and Zack Dallazanna replying at 16:45.
The game turned in the second period, starting with a Merritt power play goal by Jerzy Orchard at 2:24. That was followed by a Jake McLean goal at 13:53 to give the Centennials a 3-1 lead. Chilliwack’s Tanner Andrew struck with an even-strength marker at 16:05, but that was answered 73 seconds later with an unassisted effort by Merritt’s Brandon Dent and the Cents led 4-2 through 40 minutes.
Matteo Pecchia pushed Merritt’s advantage to 5-2 at 7:40 of the final frame, then the Centennials hung on for dear life.
Liam Tanner scored for Chilliwack at 8:45 and Cameron Johnson got the Chiefs within one at 14:45.
Chilliwack goaltender Mathieu Caron was pulled twice for an extra attacker, first at 17:50 and again at 19:49. But the Chiefs couldn’t slip another puck past Merritt goaltender Josh Dias.
The three stars were McLean (first), Dent (second) and Rylance (third).
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APRIL 15 – Chilliwack 2 at Prince George 0
Mathieu Caron put a pair of tough games behind him and blanked the Spruce Kings for the second time in this pod season.
The Abbotsford product turned aside 16 shots for the win while Chilliwack popped one puck past PG stopper Aaron Trotter.
Ray Fust was the only one to beat him, scoring at 15:52 of period one.
The second Chiefs goal came from Tanner Andrew, who put one into an empty net with Trotter pulled and three seconds left in the game.
The three stars were Fust (first), Andrew (second) and Caron (third).
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