The 91原创 91原创 still have work to do if they hope to compete with the powers of the B.C. Hockey League.
The local junior A hockey club faced a tough test, battling three of the BCHL鈥檚 top four teams in a span of four days.
And the team got off to a great start, doubling up the Island Division-leading Victoria Grizzlies 6-3 on Friday night at the 91原创 Events Centre. The Grizzlies are also the top team in the entire league.
But that was the highlight of the weekend as they dropped a 5-0 home-ice loss to the Merritt Centennials on Saturday.
The 91原创 closed the long weekend on Monday afternoon, coming up on the wrong end of a 5-1 loss to the Mainland Division-leading Surrey Eagles at the South Surrey Arena.
鈥淲e are definitely in games, we are competitive,鈥� said 91原创 head coach and general manager Bobby Henderson.
鈥淚t is consistency (that we need) and that is part of the inexperience.鈥�
鈥淏ut we expect results; we have to be better.鈥�
Against Victoria, 91原创 led 3-0 five minutes into the game and then 6-1 after 40 minutes.
Austin Azurdia paced the attack with two goals and an assist while Mitch McLain, James Robinson and Derek Sutliffe had the other goals.
James Barr stopped 35 shots for the win.
And then after getting blanked the next night at home, 91原创 managed just a single goal in the 4-1 loss to Surrey, with Mario Puskarich scoring in the third period.
The goal was his 31st of the season and his 65 points have him tied for the BCHL scoring lead with three other players, including former 91原创 player Austin Plevy, now of the Chilliwack Chiefs.
The 91原创 hold a slim three-point lead over the Coquitlam Express for the Mainland Division鈥檚 fourth and final playoff spot. 91原创 does have three games in hand on the Express.
91原创 also has a shot at catching the third-place Prince George Spruce Kings, who are eights points up. The 91原创 have one game in hand on Prince George and they also play the Spruce Kings four times over the season鈥檚 final 10 games, including today (Thursday) and tomorrow in Prince George.
They return home for a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. at the LEC against the Nanaimo Clippers.
