The 100 Mile House Wranglers and the Port Moody Panthers played to a 4-4 deadlock at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre in 100 Mile House on Sept. 3.
In the rematch on Sunday (Sept. 4), the Wranglers fell behind 3-0 after the first period, tied the score at three apiece at the end of the second and gave up two goals in the third for the 5-3 loss.
The Panthers are in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, while the Wranglers are the defending 2015/16 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, Cyclone Cup (British Columbia) and Keystone Cup (Western Canadian) champions.
The home-town lads jumped out the gate in the first period with a 3-1 lead.
However, it was 4-3 for the Wranglers at the end of the second frame, and the visitors notched the lone goal of the third stanza to knot the score at four apiece.
On Sept. 6, the Wranglers are off to Lumby where they will face the Revelstoke Grizzlies in Pat Duke Memorial Arena, starting at 7 p.m. This will be the final exhibition game for the 100 Mile House squad.
These games will give Wranglers head coach Dale Hladun and the coaching staff a good look at how the players, who attended Main Camp (Sept. 1-4), play under fire in game situations.
In turn, these exhibition games will determine which players will make the roster to kick off the 2016/17 season.
The Wranglers first three games of the regular season will be on the road: Summerland Steam, Sept. 9; Princeton Posse, Sept. 10; and Sicamous Eagles on Sept. 16.
Then they host the Osoyoos Coyotes on Sept. 17 for the home season opener, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m.
Read the details in the Sept. 8 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.