Going into their busiest stretch of the season, Langley Rivermen were tied for first place in the BCHL Coastal Conference with Coquitam Express, with each team having 12 points.
Langley was facing four games in seven days, the busiest stretch of the season and part of a league-high dozen games on the Rivermen schedule in October.
It all began with a 7-3 loss in Abbotsford against the Sherwood Park Crusaders on Monday, Oct 14, in Langley’s first game of the BCHL Showcase.
Split between the Abbotsford Centre and the Chilliwack Coliseum, the five-day event gives NCAA and NHL scouts a chance to see the league’s players in action.
Ethan Merner scored twice for Langley against the Crusaders, and Declan Bowmaster had the other Rivermen point.
Ethan Merner finds twine on the penalty shot! 🎯#BCHL | @LangleyRivermen pic.twitter.com/hruKtbTYeF
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) October 14, 2024
Langley's most recent home game, on Saturday, Oct. 12, was a 3-2 victory over Coquitlam in front of 823 at George Preston arena.
Rivermen took an early lead, when Adyn Merrick scored his team-leading fifth of the season off a pass from Luke Pfoh at 5:14 in.
Langley's lead lasted until the 11:27 mark of the second period where former Langley player Andrej Kovacevic would rip a shot from the slot to tie it 1-1.
Langley regained the lead going into the third period, with first-year Rivermen Jack Bakker making it 2-1 Riv with 43 seconds to go in the middle frame.
2:33 into the third Austin Borggaard, on a rebound in front for his second of the season, gave Langley a two-goal lead.
10 minutes later, Coquitlam would cut the Rivermen lead to just one on a power play, but Langley would hang on to win their fifth game of the season.
The win came after a Friday night game that saw the Express pull off an overtime 4-3 win on home ice.
Rivermen goals came from Mason Kesselring, Sid McNeill and Luke Pfoh.
Mason Kesselring rips this one upstairs! 🎯
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) October 12, 2024
🎙️ @_GideonHill #BCHL | @LangleyRivermen pic.twitter.com/e83jSZMpIH