The Mission City Outlaws blanked an arch-rival on the road and then put up a tough test against the Pacific Junior Hockey League’s top team in a pair of games over the weekend.
Friday’s game in Abbotsford saw Mission’s Jayden Martin score on the power play just 22 seconds into the game, and Dawson Campbell made it 2-0 at 11:25 of the first.
A scoreless second period followed, and Mission’s Dylan Tonks made it 3-0 in third to allow the Outlaws to cruise to the 3-0 win.
Forward Dylan Devers led all players with three points, while Tonks had a two point night. Also collecting assists were Nicholas Thomson and Justin Hargrave.
Outlaws goalie Isaac Elias made 28 saves to record his first career PJHL shutout. He was also named the game’s first star. Mission did outshoot Abbotsford 37-28 in the win.
The game did get chippy, especially near the end of the third period. Tristan Takats (17 minutes), Campbell (15), Micheal Nemeth (15) and Devers (10) all racked up big penalty numbers. Mission did kill off all five power play opportunities they gave up.
Takats also received a game misconduct for receiving a major penalty in the game’s last 10 minutes. He was also suspended an additional game for his second instigator penalty this season. Abbotsford’s Dylan Campbell was also suspended one game for the same infraction as Takats.
The Outlaws continued on the road to North Vancouver on Saturday for a date with the league’s top team.
The North Vancouver Wolf Pack had only lost one game in regulation time heading into Saturday, and that trend continued as the Outlaws fell 5-2.
Despite the loss, the Outlaws kept the game close for the majority of the evening.
North Vancouver opened the scoring with a power play goal at 7:44, but Mission answered back at 10:27 when Joshua Romeyn tied the game up.
The Wolf Pack took over in the second period, scoring twice to go up 3-1 after 40 minutes, but Romeyn scored his second to make it a 3-2 game at 7:50 of the third. North Vancouver added two more goals, one of which was an empty net goal, to earn the 5-2 win.
Mission was outshot 50-30 in the loss, and Outlaws goalie Daniel Zuvic made 45 saves in a solid performance. Hargrave and Martin also picked up assists. Special teams were also a story, as Mission went 0/5 with the man advantage but also gave up two power play goals.
The Outlaws record now sits at 9-10-2-1 and they are tied for second place in the PJHL’s Harold Brittain conference.
Mission returned to action on Wednesday against the Aldergrove Kodiaks, but results were not available at press time. The club then returns home to host the Delta Ice Hawks on Saturday.
Face-off is set for 6:45 p.m. at the Mission Leisure Centre.
