Langley Rivermen are back from their first ever road trip to Alberta, and it went very well indeed, with the team posting back to back wins against the Blackfalds Bulldogs and Spruce Grove Saints March 21-22.
Friday, Langley came out flying against the Bulldogs, scoring 32 seconds into the first on a snipe from Ben Portner for his 18th of the season, following a great pass from Ryan Schelling across the ice.
5:28 later, Jackson Krill backhanded a rebound past Bulldogs goaltender Lukas Fursten to make it 2-0 Rivermen.
Two minutes and two seconds later, Blackfalds got back within one on a breakaway goal from Antoine Gauthier.
And the Bulldogs would tie it with 1:04 remaining in the first period on a jam play in tight on the Rivermen net and it would be 2-2 heading into the second period.
Luke Norcross would score his second of the game and Blackfalds third to give them a 3-2 lead with 5:08 gone in the second period.
However, 46 seconds later Portner received a pass from Schelling and got past Fursten to tie the game at 3-3 on a phenomenal play.
Jacob Wingfield would give Langley a 4-3 lead with time winding down in the second period, converting a rebound in tight for his 8th of the season.
Dylan Johnson was phenomenal in the game for Langley, stopping 30 of the final 31 shots he faced between the second and third period, and Schelling would score into the empty net late to ice it, as Langley would win their second consecutive game 5-3 in exciting action.
Saturday, the Rivermen traveled to Spruce Grove to take on the Saints for the first time ever.
Both teams had some chances early in the game, but it was Langley who got the first goal of the game with 9:29 gone on the clock.
Tyler Chan broke down the left wing and fed Ilya Rogovksy who redirected home the puck from in tight for his 14th of the season. Florian Wade got the start for Langley and was excellent throughout the opening frame, turning aside all 11 shots he faced to keep it 1-0 Rivermen after 20.
Langley killed off two penalties in the second period, and Wade turned aside 13 shots in the middle frame, and it would remain 1-0 Rivermen after 40.
The Rivermen would score their second goal early in the third period on a three-way passing play between Chan, Davids Livsics, and Rogovsky who one timed home his 15th goal into the net to make it 2-0 Rivermen with 5:29 gone in the third.
Langley would hold onto that lead until for 12 minutes, and got their third of the game on an empty netter by Shane Purves. The Saints would score one late with two seconds to go, but the Rivermen would walk away with a 3-1 thanks to a 37 save performance by Florian Wade.
Rivermen return home on Friday to take on the Coquitlam Express, and Saturday to take on the Chilliwack Chiefs in their final weekend of the season.
Rivermen are currently eighth of 10 in the BCHL coastal conference, hoping to move up and clinch a playoff spot.
