Playing like a well-oiled machine, the Comox Valley Glacier Kings won a couple of squeakers on the weekend.
On Friday they beat the Braves 3-2 in Saanich in a shootout and followed that up with a 2-1 win over the Peninsula Panthers on Saturday at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
Currently the hottest team in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, the Yetis are 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 games; the only team keeping pace is Peninsula, who are 7-3-0-0 in their last 10. The Icemen are first overall in the VIJHL with a 29-8-0-1 record, three points up on the Victoria Cougars who are 27-6-0-2.
Friday night in Saanich, Tyson Rennie scored the only goal in the shootout to lead the Glacier Kings past the Braves. The Braves led 2-1 after two periods, with Stewart Lee’s 23rd goal of the year on the power play sending the game into overtime.
Comox Valley outshot Saanich 9-1 in the extra session but could not light the lamp. Michael Graham’s 16th of the season was the other goal for the visitors. Final shots on goal favoured the Yetis 39-34 with James Davision picking up the win in relief of Cameron Waddington, who suffered a concussion early in the second period and is expected to be out for a week.
On Saturday Davison got the start and Duncan Wilson was his back-up when the Glacier Kings hosted Peninsula. Davison rose to the occasion, earning second star honours as the Yetis outshot the Panthers 41-32 en route to the 2-1 win. Peninsula goalie Brady Berisoff was the third star while first star Jackson Garrett helped set up Colton Ruthven for the game winner midway through the third period.
It was Ruthven’s fourth goal of the year. Mitch Ball netted his 23rd as the two teams were tied 1-1 after the first period.
The Glacier Kings have another home-and-away weekend upcoming. They visit the Campbell River Storm on Friday then host the Braves on Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. start at Sports Centre Arena No. 1.
sports@comoxvalleyrecord.com