The Chilliwack Chiefs maintained their grip on first overall in the BCHL standings, winning two of three games last weekend.
The Chiefs started with a stumble on Friday, falling 4-2 on home ice to the Island division leading Victoria Grizzlies.
But they bounced back Saturday night on the road, taking down the Langley Rivermen by a 5-4 count at the George Preston Arena. Kevin Wall led the charge with a pair of goals, his BCHL-best 14th and 15th of the year. Carter Wilkie, Harrison Blaisdell and Skyler Brind’Amour also scored for Chilliwack.
The Chiefs were out-shot 39-24, but goaltender Mathieu Caron stopped 35 pucks, out-dueling his Langley counterpart Braedon Fleming.
With the score 5-2 midway through the final frame, things got ugly.
Ryley Lanthier and Riley Wallack of the Rivermen picked up simultaneous checking-from-behind minors and Devin Leduc was flagged for a blow to the head. Chilliwack’s Jacob Slipec dropped the mitts with Leduc and was assessed two fighting majors and an unsportsmanlike conduct.
There’s likely to be supplementary discipline from the league this week.
The Chiefs moved on to a sleepy Sunday afternoon game against the cellar-dwelling Cowichan Valley Capitals, grinding out a 3-2 win at Prospera Centre.
The Capitals played like a team coached by Mike Vandekamp, mixing it up from the opening whistle. By the 5:46 mark of period two the visitors had already handed Chilliwack seven power play opportunities while they awaited their first.
Chilliwack cashed in one on a goal by Blaisdell, and Blaisdell came through with another PP marker late in period three to bring his team into a 2-2 tie.
With 105 seconds left on the clock, Ethan Bowen produced the game winning goal.
Backup goalie Nolan Hildebrand made his first appearance as a Chief and played well, stopping 27 pucks.
Chilliwack comes out of the weekend with a record of 15-6-0-0.
Thirty points puts them first overall in the 17 team league, three ahead of the Coquitlam Express.
The Chiefs are back in Langley Friday night for a return match with the Rivermen followed by back-to-back home games Saturday and Sunday against Salmon Arm and Alberni Valley.
Game time for Sunday’s match is 2 p.m.