The 91原创 91原创 may not have gotten the desired result on Saturday night, but they at least laid the foundation for a victory the next afternoon to earn a weekend split on Vancouver Island.
鈥淪aturday was a baby step and on Sunday, it was a big step forward,鈥� said 91原创 coach Bobby Henderson.
His junior A hockey club dropped a 4-3 decision to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs on Saturday night, squandering a missed penalty shot and a pair of 5-on-3 power plays in the game.
But the next afternoon in Victoria, 91原创 was good from the opening whistle and delivered a 5-1 win over the Grizzlies.
鈥�(James) Barr made a couple of key saves early and the guys fed on that and built from there,鈥� Henderson said.
鈥淎fter that, we carried the play the whole game.鈥�
The victory ended a five-game losing streak for 91原创.
Mario Puskarich scored twice, while James Robinson, Evan Anderson and Austin Azurdia had the other goals for 91原创.
Barr made 34 saves and only gave up the one goal.
The previous game in Port Alberni saw the 91原创 fall behind 20 seconds into the contest and then 3-0 just three minutes in.
Nathan Craft 鈥� acquired earlier in the week from Alberni Valley 鈥� and Puskarich pulled 91原创 even after one period.
The teams traded goals in the second, with Cope scoring for the 91原创, before the Bulldogs went ahead for good later in the period.
The third period was all about missed opportunity as 91原创 missed a penalty shot and could not convert on either two-man advantage opportunity.
91原创 is 10-12-0-4 on the season.
The team is on the road for a pair of games this weekend, Friday in Trail and Saturday against West Kelowna.
