Junior B hockey is back in exciting fashion as the 100 Mile House Wranglers opened the 2015-16 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season hosting a double overtime thriller against the Chase Heat at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Sept. 12, before riding into the Eagles' nest in Sicamous on Sept. 15 to snatch a win for themselves against another division rival.
The Wranglers beat the Eagles 3-1 and welcomed back to the lineup last season's top scorer, Brett Harris, who assisted on two goals.
Liam Cumberbirch opened the scoring in the first period, while Ryan Friesen and Stephen Egan scored goals in the third period. Josh Odelein, Nick McCabe and Tavis Roch also assisted on the plays.
Zane Steeves, a 6 foot 1 Red Deer goalie, made 26 saves for 100 Mile House.
On Sept. 12, Chase scored a 4-3 win against 100 Mile in double overtime.
Kolby Page was named star of the game for 100 Mile House.
Chase took a 1-0 lead into the second frame. The Wranglers answered back with goals by Roch, who fired one in from the point, and Kolby Page, who got on the board with an assist by his older brother and Wranglers vet, Tate Page.
Alex Hanson also assisted on K. Page's goals; Kolten Carpenter and Egan assisted on Roch's.
Chase scored twice more on the power play to take a 3-2 lead into the second period.
The Wranglers tying goal could not have come any later, as Justin Bond found the back of the net with 1.7 seconds remaining on the clock to send the game into overtime. Hanson and Tyler Povelofskie assisted.
Quinn Ferris saw 35 shots for the Wranglers.
Wranglers coach Dale Hladun says that while the Chase game was likely exciting for the fans, as a coach he was “kind of miserable” because of “dumb” penalties that likely cost the team in the end.
“I certainly feel Chase has a good club,” Hladun says. “But I also feel we put ourselves in some uncomfortable positions with some of our penalties and team discipline. I guess we got one point. I'm a little disappointed it wasn't two.”
Egan, a 19-year-old from Smithers, was named captain.
“He's a quiet leader,” Hladun says of the third year veteran. “He plays with passion; he practices with passion. He is respected in the room. It was an easy choice to make Egan our captain.”