The Ridge Meadows Flames special teams were clicking Friday night as the local junior B hockey club scored two powerplay goals and two shorthanded goals to beat the visiting Aldergrove Kodiaks 5-2 to keep from going down three games to none in their best-of-seven series.
The win was the Flames’ first against the Kodiaks in eight previous meetings this season, bringing the series to two games to one, in favour of the Kodiaks.
Seventeen-year-old rookie forward Marco Ballarin opened the scoring for the Flames 14 minutes into the first period with a shorthanded goal. The Flames made it 2-0 midway through the second period with a powerplay goal from Paul Piluso.
The Kodiaks answered back, however, with Scott McHaffie and Matthew Luongo scoring to tie the game at 2-2.
Keagan Hunter restored the Flames’ lead with less than 30 seconds to play in the middle frame with yet another powerplay goal. The Flames’ leading scorer, Matthew Bissett, stretched the team’s lead 30 seconds into the third period for the Flames’ first even-strength goal of the game.
Hunter added his second of the night with a shorthanded empty net goal in the final seconds of the game to give the Flames the 5-2 win, their first of the series.
The Flames managed to score five goals on just 21 shots. Flames goalie Jordan Hospes saw 25 shots come his way, turning aside 23.
Ballarin was named the game’s first star for his two point effort, while Trevor Harris was named second star. Nicholas Beck, Shane Harle, Sean Pesut, Danny Brandys, Reece Rivard, and Dean Gilmore each had assists.
• The series is back underway tonight (Monday) in Maple Ridge for Game 4 as the Ridge Meadows Flames host the Aldergrove Kodiaks at 9 p.m. at Planet Ice.
