The Abbotsford Pilots started out strong Wednesday night (Dec. 18) at Aldergrove Arena but the Aldergrove Kodiaks pulled out all they had and battled to a 5-4 overtime win.
The win extended the Kodiaks streak to 12 consecutive wins and 17 straight unbeaten games. The Kodiaks sit firmly on top of the league with 46 points after 28 games (22-4-0-2), 11 points ahead of second place Pilots in the Haarold Brittain conference. The Kodiaks are also five points ahead of Tom Shaw conference leaders Delta Ice Hwks and the Kodiaks have two games in hand.
In Wednesday's game the Kodiaks outshot the Pilots 55-35.
The Pilots were up 3-0 in the beginning of the first period before the Kodiaks scored twice to close the period 3-2 for the Pilots. Scoring for the Kodiaks seconds apart at the 14 minute mark were Jeremy Lagler (from Joshua Cronin and Jacob Dunlop) and Quinncy Leroux (from Adam Callegari and Aaron Markin).
The second period was scoreless but the Kodiaks scored the first two of the third period to go up 4-3. Scorers were Kenny Prato (from Stephen Ryan) and Leroux (from Lagler). However, the Pilots pulled their goalie in the dying minutes to get a man advantage and were rewarded by a goal that put the game into overtime.
At 33 seconds into overtime Kodiak Elvis Jansons, assisted by Cronin and Leroux, ended the game 5-4 for the Kodiaks.
Jansons, Leroux and Lagler were the game's first, second and third stars.
The Kodiaks have away games Friday at Ridge Meadows Flaames and Saturday at Delta Ice Hawks before they take a well-deserved Christmas break. Their first game of the new year is on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 7:15 p.m. at Aldergrove Arena, versus Ridge Meadows Flames.