An early goal deflated the tires of the Save–On–Foods Oceanside Generals as they dropped a 6–2 decision to the Saanich Braves, as the Generals record falls to two wins and nine losses.
The Generals gave up a goal to the Braves 36 seconds in. Sebastian Powsey notched his first goal of the season at the 5:26 mark to tie things up but Saanich replied with a goal of their own just 14 seconds later and it was an uphill climb from there.
Chase Gaudreault, returning from a call up to the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs, scored the second goal for the Gens, his second on the season.
“It’s tough, as a team, to give up an early one on the road,” forward and alternate captain Jonah Pearson said. “It’s even more frustrating to tie it up only to have them get another one right after. We just need to calm down and tighten up in our own end, it comes with structure and systems and we really need to work on that.”
The Generals had two new faces in the lineup, AP Jake McKenzie and Keagan Fedorko from Burnaby, to go along with Joshua Carless–Jones, who up to this point in the season had played defense but was on a forward line that night.
Qualicum Beach’s Ben Mohl was also moved from the roster and has now been carded, as an AP.
Parksville’s Jarrett Weme is also no longer part of the team. With all the changes in the lineup, the loss to Saanich just adds more frustration.
“This week has been really stressful for the team, for sure,” Pearson said. “I think there’s a feeling of safety on this team and it’s showing in the way we practise, which affects the way we play,” he said.
“We need guys to be desperate to improve and get more minutes. It should be on us, as a team and as players, to do what we can to start practising and playing better.”
Trying to bounce back from two straight losses, the Generals were headed to Comox to take on the Glacier Kings Friday night (after the long weekend press deadline). Saturday night the two teams were back at Oceanside Place.
“We need to be able to outwork Comox and stay out of the box,” Pearson said. “All four lines have to go hard for 60 minutes. Our record isn’t good enough and we know that. I don’t think our record is an indicator of how good this team is and with the right systems and work ethic, I think we can hang with any team in the league. These are four big points for us and we need to be hungry and want to win these games.”