Thursday night the Cougars hosted the Saanich Braves and after the first, it looked like the Cougars would sail to an easy victory going into the dressing room with a 3-0 lead on goals from Spencer Golden, assists to Josh Martin and Bryce Irwin, Booker Chacalias, assisted by Matt Clark and Tyler Vanuden and another shorthanded marker for Vanuden assisted by Chacalias.
The Braves had other ideas however and came out flying in the second period.
The only goal scored was to James Vince of the Braves at 2:25 with assists to Will Wright and Jarrod Lucie.
In the third, the Cougars Bryce Irwin went five-hole on Connor Cheyne who came into the game at the beginning of the 2nd for starter Anderson Violette. Assisting were Nathan Ingram and Golden. The Cougars restored a healthy 3 goal lead that stood up for a whole 8 seconds. With a face off in the Cougars end, Brendan McTavish got his first Jr B goal right after the face off beating Cougars starter Owen Sikkes glove side. Sikkes got a piece of the puck but not enough to keep it out of the net. Assists went to Reid Lindsay and Graeme Getty.
The Braves Ryan Strange then took over and not only brought the Braves to within one but also tied the game. Both of his goals were assisted by Zach Guerra and Dayton Clarke. The game seesawed back and forth with pressure at both ends but the time expired deadlocked at 4-4.
Overtime for the second game in a row and the Cougars again scored early in the frame. At: 48 Mateo Albinati would win the faceoff in the Islanders zone back to Kevan McBean at the point. McBean took a shot on net that Albinati got his stick on and redirected past Cheyne for the overtime winner.
Players of the game: Saanich – Ryan Strange Victoria – Mateo Albinati
Next up is the Prospects Game this Sunday at Peakes in Saanich where Cougars Cameron
LeSergent, Matt Clark, Spencer Golden, and Cam Stevenson will be playing with Suneil Karod
as Head Coach. Game time is 3:30 pm.