The defending Pacific Junior Hockey League champions, the Aldergrove Kodiaks began their seventh season with an overtime loss and a tie, for two points after two games.
This puts the Bears in the bottom half of their division, but none the less Kodiaks GM Rick Harkins said he was pleased with their season home opener against the Abbotsford Pilots.
"Considering that we are starting out with many new faces, rookies, I thought they came together well in that opening game," Harkins told The Star.
Pilots edge Kodiaks in OT
A late-goal from Cameron Davitt earned the Aldergrove Kodiaks a point in their season opener.
But it was the visiting Abbotsford Pilots who got the extra point, thanks to Devon Becker's goal at 1:34 of the second overtime.
The two junior B hockey teams were playing at the Aldergrove Arena as the Pacific Junior Hockey League season kicked off on Wednesday (Sept. 10) night.
Jordan Funk had the other Kodiaks goal, which came 40 seconds after Brady Lawlor made it 1-0 on the power play for Abbotsford early in the first period.
The Pilots' Devan Vander Wyk gave the visitors a 2-1 lead later in the period with a penalty shot goal.
Davitt forced overtime with a power-play goal just 36 seconds before the final whistle.
Aldergrove lost despite a 53-36 shots on goal advantage. Pilots keeper Jacob Crawford was the game's first star, and Kodiaks Jordan Funk and Quinncy Leroux were second and third stars, respectively.
Kodiaks tie with Outlaws
The Kodiaks were up 5-2 against the Mission City Outlaws midway through the second period at Mission Leisure Centre on Saturday, Sept. 13.
However, the Outlaws scored four more in the second before the Kodiaks evened it up at the end of the second. The third period was scoreless so it ended a 6-6 tie for the teams and a point apiece.
The Kodiaks narrowly outshot the Outlaws 44-42 and the teams had one power play goal apiece that night.
Kodiaks scorers were William Mann, Evan Cusmano, Aaron Markin, Jordan Funk, Elvis Jansons (unassisted) and Jeremy Zomar (unassisted).
Assists came from Cusmano, Eric Callegari (2), Brandon Dolby, and Quinncy Leroux. Callegari also received the game's third star.
The Aldergrove Kodiaks were presented with the Pacific Junior Hockey League's 2013-14 season championship trophies for both the league and Harold Brittain Confernce division at their season home opener at Aldergrove Arena, Sept. 10. From left are Kodiaks assistant captain Brandon Dolby, captain and Aaron Markin and PJHL president George Richards.