Victoria 5 Comox Valley 2
First star Grady Sluggett and Kelton Shinde each potted a pair of goals, including one apiece into an empty net, to lead the Victoria Cougars to a 5-2 victory over the host Comox Valley Glacier Kings in Saturday night VIJHL play at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
Victoria (33-8-3 for 69 points, second in the South Division) moved to within three points of South Division leading Peninsula, although the Panthers have two games in hand, and the Cougars are now up three points on the third place Westshore Wolves.
It was a tight contest, with Victoria leading 2-1 and 3-1 by periods, then 3-2 until the pair of empty netters in the last 1:10 of the game. The other goal for the Cats came from Simon Semancik, and second star Finn Wilson backstopped the win with 41 saves.
Easton Sangris and Tegan Clayton scored for Comox Valley (22-16-5-1 for 50 points, third in the North) and Cameron Collins assisted on both markers to pick up third star honours. Nick Kotai stopped 24 shots in the Yetis net.
Oceanside 5 Kerry Park 1
A three goal second period pushed the Oceanside Generals towards a 5-1 win over the Kerry Park Islanders at Kerry Park Arena.
Oceanside (26-17-1 for 53 points, second in the North) can’t catch Nanaimo for first place, as the Buccaneers have clinched their first Division title since re-entering the league in 2012.
Ryder Bradford, Jacob Bate and Reid Ronning scored in the second period for Oceanside, erasing a 1-0 first period deficit to lead 3-2 heading into the final frame, when Braeyen Newans and Logan Duncan also scored. Netminder Andreas Bylerius stopped 20 shots for the decision.
Kerry Park (2-42, fifth in the South) had its goal from Tomasz Ptaszek and Alex Doyer made 34 saves between the Islanders pipes.
