The North Island Silvertips were only able to pick up a point against a tough opponent, but at this time of year, every point helps.
Nanaimo’s B.C. Major Midget League hockey team tied the Cariboo Cougars 2-2 on Saturday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre, then lost the next day’s rematch 5-3.
“I thought we had some ups and downs,” said Michael Herringer, the ’Tips goalie who backstopped his team to the tie. “[Saturday] we were great the whole game at taking the body and we came out just flying. “[Sunday] we maybe took a little bit for granted at the start.”
Coach Dan Lemmon didn’t think his team did enough to slow down the speedy Cougars.
“We didn’t come out physical in the first period; it gave their defencemen confidence in their own zone to take that extra second to make that breakout pass,” Lemmon said. “Our team’s successful chipping pucks, getting in races and being physical and we just didn’t do a good enough job of that.”
In the tie, Curtis McCarrick and Chase Lang scored the goals. The next day Jordan Levesque had two goals and Lang had a goal and an assist.
The Silvertips sit only three points back of the final playoff position in the BCMML with two games in hand on some teams.
“It’s not ideal, but it’s the position we’re in, I guess, so we have to work with it,” said Herringer. “We can do it.”
The ‘Tips know that down the stretch, they’ll have to win the games they’re supposed to, and may have to pull off an upset or two.
“There’s about three or four teams that are all within three or four points. We’ve got a couple of big weekends ahead of us,” said Lemmon.
GAME ON … The North Island Silvertips play the South Island Thunderbirds on Saturday (Feb. 4) at 5:15 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
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