On a night when the Delta Ice Hawks had 13 newcomers in their line-up, it was still some familiar names that dominated the scoresheet.
The defending Pacific International Junior Hockey League champions opened the 2012/13 season Tuesday with a 4-2 home ice victory over the North Delta Devils. Anthony Brito, who was among the standouts during last spring's playoff run, picked up right where he left off, scoring twice and setting up the other two.
Delta took a 2-0 advantage into the third period when the Devils rallied to pull even and came very close to beating goaltender Scott Lapp on a couple of more occasions to take the lead. When it looked like the visitors might just get some revenge for last season's heartbreaking seven game playoff series loss, Tanner Gattinger broke the deadlock with 4: 34 remaining.
South Delta product Michael Olson-Eyre then iced the win with his first ever PIJHL goal into the empty net after a nifty flip pass from Brito to complete his big night.
The 20-year-old centre has had little time to catch his breath after spending the summer playing in the B.C. Junior "A" Lacrosse League with the Coquitlam Adanacs. His season ended Aug. 26 when the Adanacs lost in the Minto Cup finals to Ontario's Orangeville Northmen. By that time, the Ice Hawks' training camp was well underway.
"We told Anthony to take all the time he wanted before coming back," said Ice Hawks head coach Dave McLennan. "But he wanted to be here and was excited to be back. That's just the type of guy he is."
Brito is one of the team's assistant captains, along with returning veterans Ryan Cuthbert and Kody Botterhill.
Third-year blueline standout Alex Martin is the team's captain and responded to his expanded leadership role with a pair of assists.
The Ice Hawks were playing without returning forwards Grange Gordon and Aaron Merrick.
Delta travels to Abbotsford tonight to face the Pilots in a rematch of last year's PIJHL finals. Although the Ice Hawks managed to win that series, the Pilots went on to capture the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial championship as the host team. They then travelled to Saskatoon and won the Keystone Cup Western Canadian championship. becoming the fourth B.C. team to pull off the feat in 10 years.
The Ice Hawks next home game is Tuesday when the Squamish Wolf Pack visit Ladner at 7: 30 p.m.
