The Ridge Meadows Flames lost the first game of their battle for first place in the Pacific Junior Hockey League on Friday, but get a shot at redemption on Saturday.
In Maple Ridge, Abbotsford Pilot Baylee Wright broke a 3-3 tie with a pair of third period goals as the first-place Pilots defeated the runner-up Flames 5-3 the battle atop the Harold Brittain Conference.
The Pilots took a 3-1 lead after the first period. The Flames tied it up with two quick goals in the first five minutes of the third period. They outshot Abby 19-5 in the third period, and 36-27 overall.
But Wright took the game for Abby down the stretch. Wright, from Langley, also added a pair of assists to his impressive totals, and now leads the PJHL scoring race by 11 points, with 25 goals and 44 points in 17 games.
Noah Wiebe, Brady Morton and Cameron Obcena also scored for the Pilots who now have a four point lead over the Flames atop the Brittain Conference standings. The Flames have a game in hand.
The Flames, who lost for just the second time at home this season, got a goal each from Daniel Chifan, Logan Hunter and Liam Evenson. Defender Ryan Wellburn and team captain Andrew Strelezki each had two assists.
Strelezki leads the Flames with 10 goals and 22 points in 17 games, and is among the top 10 scorers in the PJHL.
Tonight the Flames are in Abbotsford for a rematch, which takes place at 7:30 p.m. at MSA Arena.
The Flames have a full schedule, with a game on Tuesday at the Ladner Leisure Centre against the Delta Ice Hawks, before hosting the Langley Trappers in their next home game on Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m. at Cam Neely Arena.
