As October draws to an end, the Mission City Outlaws have been stumbling.
After a four-game win streak earlier this month, Mission is now riding a three-game slide after losing games on Oct. 23 in Langley and Saturday on home ice.
The Outlaws fell behind 2-0 to the Langley Trappers in the first period during the club’s game on Oct. 23, and were not able to battle back. Langley added another goal in the second to cruise to a 4-1 win.
Dylan Tonks scored the lone goal for Mission, with Nicolas Thomson and Owen Elson drawing the assists.
The Outlaws outshot the Trappers 41-34, and also had twice as many power play opportunities (8-4) as the home team. Mission goalie Daniel Zuvic made 30 saves in the loss.
The club returned to the Mission Leisure Centre on Saturday for what would turn out to be a wild offensive shootout against the White Rock Whalers.
The Whalers opened the scoring just 2:02 into the first period, but Mission replied with three consecutive goals to close out the period. Justin Hargrave (two) and Jayden Martin gave the Outlaws a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. Two of those goals were scored on the power play.
White Rock tied the game at three in the second period, but Mission’s Dawson Campbell scored late in the second to give the Outlaws a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
The Whalers again tied the game early in the third, but Hargrave made it a hat trick with an unassisted goal at 5:54.
Mission hung onto the lead until White Rock again tied the game at 14:14.
The game then went to overtime, and the Whalers’ Gianni Lattanzio gave White Rock the win by scoring at 1:33 of the second overtime period.
Mission goalie Isaac Elias made 30 saves in the loss, and special teams were good for Mission as the club went two for four on the power play and killed all six penalties they were assessed.
Hargrave had a four-point night, while Tonks added three assists.
Hargrave has now collected 22 points in 18 games, and has jumped into ninth place in the Pacific Junior Hockey League scoring race.
The Outlaws sit in third place in the Harold Brittain Conference, with a record of 7-8-2-1.
Mission returned to the ice on Wednesday to take on the Grandview Steelers in Burnaby, but results were not available at press time.
The club next hosts the Ridge Meadows Flames on Saturday. Faceoff is set for 6:45 p.m. at the MLC.
