The standings couldn’t be any tighter heading into the final day of round-robin action at the Cyclone Taylor Cup in Revelstoke.
The Delta Ice Hawks sit atop the four-team provincial junior “B” championships thanks to a big 7-4 victory over the Vancouver Island champion Oceanside Generals on Friday afternoon, but there is plenty of work still to be done.
Coupled with their 2-1 overtime loss to Kootenay league champion Kimberley Dynamiters on Thursday, the Hawks have four points after two games. Right on their tails are Oceanside and Revelstoke with three points each thanks to the host Grizzlies defeating the Dynamiters 4-1 on Friday night. Kimberley has two points.
The tournament rewards three points for a regulation win, two for an overtime or shootout win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss.
It all means the winners of Saturday’s games will play for gold on Sunday. Kimberley and Oceanside square-off at 1 p.m. and Delta and Revelstoke meet at 7 p.m.
It was productive second period that propelled the Ice Hawks over the undefeated Generals as goals by captain Alec Scouras, Alex Lucchesi and Brayden Sinclair opened up a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.
Oceanside made things interesting with a pair of goals by the 5:26 mark of the third before Carson Hemenway and Payton Hu provided some breathing room. Sinclair’s second of the game closed out a penalty-filled period that saw Oceanside receive three, 10-minute misconducts and a match penalty.
Carson Merriman had the other Delta goal while Zach Shaughnessy made 37 saves with his team enjoying a 46-41 advantage in shots.
"It was a great bounce back and against a very good Oceanside team. The second period was one of our best all year - boys were dialled," said Ice Hawks GM and head coach Steve Robinson. "The third wasn’t ideal but again we responded with two quick goals to bounce back which was huge and great to see.
"Only halfway there and the hardest two games lie ahead - we’re happy to have played our 1 p.m. games up front and look forward to having ample rest before what should be a crazy and hostile environment playing the home team with gold medal spot on the line."
