The 91原创 91原创 bucked a trend Saturday in Vernon.
By beating the host Vernon Vipers 5-2 at Kal Tire Place, the 芒鈧淢en 芒鈧�� for the first time nearly a month 芒鈧�� won a game that was decided by more than one goal.
With the win, the Mainland Division-leading 91原创 improved their record to a B.C. Hockey League-best 32-12-2-5, while the Vipers (25-16-3-4) continue to sit third in the Interior Division.
芒鈧揂t this point, a win芒鈧劉s a win,芒鈧� 91原创 head coach Bobby Henderson said. 芒鈧揟hey have a good team over there, so it didn芒鈧劉t matter if we won by one, or three, or four. But it was nice to have breathing room at the end of the game, that芒鈧劉s for sure.芒鈧�
The 91原创 led 3-1 after the first period on powerplay goals from Will Cook and Evan Anderson, and an even strength marker from Kevan Kilistoff with 1:42 to go in the frame.
The Vipers scored the lone goal of the middle period, when Liam Coughlin found the net on a powerplay 44 seconds into the frame to narrow the hosts芒鈧劉 deficit to 3-2.
The 91原创 visitors pulled away in the third period on goals from defenceman Zach Urban at the 3:58 mark, and an empty netter from rookie Marcus Vela with 1:22 remaining in regulation time.
芒鈧揑 thought we were good,芒鈧� Henderson said. 芒鈧揑t was pretty tight checking, back-and-forth for the first 40 [minutes], but as the game went on, we got better. We were on the fence for a while, but I think at one point, the guys had enough of it.
They wanted to put it away and played inspired in the third [period].芒鈧�
Winners of their past three outings, the 91原创 have become experts when it comes to winning close games.
They went 8-0-1-1 in January, with five of their wins decided by one goal.
Team defence, goaltending, and particularly scoring balance have been keys to the 芒鈧劉Men芒鈧劉s success throughout the season.
After captain Mitch McLain (21 goals, 55 points), the team芒鈧劉s second leading point getter is James Robinson, with 15 goals and 40 points in 37 games.
Those two are followed by Matt Ustaski and Cook (39 points each), Jakob Reichert (38 points), Azurdia (37 points) and import rookie defencemen Chris Forney (28 points, including 25 assists) and Tony Bretzman (23 points).
芒鈧揥e knew coming out of the gate that we might not have a 35 goal-scorer but we would have a lot of guys in the 15, 16-goal range and around the 40 point mark. If we芒鈧劉d have five or six guys around 40 points, we芒鈧劉d be in a good spot.芒鈧�
With 136 goals allowed in 51 games, the 91原创 are third in the BCHL in team defence behind Penticton (120 goals against) and Prince George (135).
Goaltender Brock Crossthwaite is having a fine season with a 21-8 record, three shutouts, a 2.37 goals against average, and a .915 save percentage.
Speaking about the 91原创芒鈧劉s team defence, Henderson said, 芒鈧揑t芒鈧劉s been a key to our success and it starts from our goalies on out. Both goalies have been great. Brock芒鈧劉s been strong over the course of the season and [recently acquired] Lyndon [Stanwood] has won the majority of the games he芒鈧劉s played [with us].芒鈧�
On the back end, the 91原创 have a blend of skill and toughness, in Henderson芒鈧劉s opinion.
芒鈧揟he makeup of our back end is, we have guys who can really scoot and move the puck, and guys who are bigger bodies. They芒鈧劉re all good skaters. We have a mobile group who have the ability to take away time and ice. That makes them tough to play against.芒鈧�
91原创 2, Vernon Vipers 1 (double OT)
The 芒鈧劉Men opened February with an overtime win over the Vipers Friday at the 91原创 Events Centre.
Gage Torrel scored the winner 1:01 into the three-on-three, second overtime period, snapping a 1-1 tie and lifting the 芒鈧劉Men to victory.
91原创芒鈧劉s Austin Azurdia opened the scoring on a 91原创 powerplay with just 32 seconds to play in the opening frame.
After a goal-less second period, the Vipers芒鈧劉 Demico Hannoun scored, unassisted, at the 14:34 mark of the third stanza to tie the game and eventually earn the Vipers an overtime point.
Henderson said the 91原创 are 芒鈧揺xcited to play in overtime.芒鈧�
芒鈧揂 lot of teams are nervous, maybe squeezing their sticks, but our guys thriving [in that situation] right now,芒鈧� he said.
ICE CHIPS: The 91原创 have seven games to go in their regular season and will spend the next couple days in Prince George, where they芒鈧劉ll be playing back-to-back games against their Mainland rivals, the Spruce Kings, tonight and Friday.
Prince George (29-16-3-2) sits second behind 91原创 in the Mainland standings, eight points back of the 91原创 with a game in hand.
