The Comox Valley Glacier Kings have found a way to keep the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League's most potent offence in check. Now they must solve the league's second best defence.
That's how things stand for the Icemen as they trail the Campbell River Storm 2-0 in their best-of-seven semifinal playoff series. The North Division champion Storm won the opener 4-1 Friday in Campbell River then blanked the Yetis (North Division second place) 3-0 Saturday night in Courtenay.
In the regular season, the Storm averaged almost six goals for per game while allowing just less than 2.5 against. They carried those lopsided stats into the playoffs in their first round sweep of the Oceanside Generals (27GF-4GA).
That the G-Kings have kept things close through the first two games of the semis offers hope for better things to come when the series resumes Tuesday, March 10 at 7 p.m. at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
Game 4 goes March 11 in Campbell River.
The Storm did all the damage in the second period Saturday and outshot the Yetis 30-19. That stat earned losing goalie Zachary Straza first-star honours. Jesse Michel was sharp in the C.R. net after a two-month absence.
On Friday, C.R. led 2-0 after one and outscored C.V. 2-1 in the third. Shots on goal were 40-19 Storm. Dylan Sampson netted the lone goal for the Icemen, making it 2-1 midway through the third.
But the Storm got that one back at 19:05 and sealed the deal with an empty netter. Riley Welyk picked up the win.
ICE CHIPS Goaltending is playing a prominent part in the other VIJHL semifinal as Grant Payne's back-to-back shutouts have the league champion Victoria Cougars up 2-0 on Westshore Wolves heading into Game 3 on March 8 … if needed, Game 5 in the C.V. vs. C.R. series goes March 13 in Campbell River with Game 6 March 14 in Courtenay and Game 7 March 15 in Campbell River …