The Save-on-Foods Oceanside Generals had a rough time on the road.
The Generals battled through two overtime games and ended up losing both, to defending Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League champions Peninsula Panthers in a shootout 4-3 and to the Kerry Park Islanders 5-4.
While they were heartbreaking losses as the Generals squandered two-goal leads in both games, they were able to finish the weekend on a happier note when they sank the host Lake Cowichan Kraken 4-2 on Sunday, (Sept. 25).
Against the Panthers, Brayden Ross and Carter Johnson paced the Generals with goals to end the first period with a 2-0 lead.
But the Panthers bounced back strong in the second to tie it up. Ross put the Generals up 3-2 late in the period. In the third the Panthers were able to square things and kept it that way until the final buzzer.
Neither team were able to score against in extra time forcing a shootout.
Panthers goalie Kelly Brady blanked the Generals shooters and earned the win in goal when Tanner Banks scored.
READ MORE: PODCAST: Talking hockey with Oceanside Generals general manager Rick Hannibal
The next night, the Generals travelled to Kerry Park. Carter and Brendan Carlson gave the Generals a 2-0 lead in the first period. They held on to 3-2 lead going into the third it didn’t last that long as the Panthers tied it up in the third and also grabbed the lead 4-3. Johnson was able to keep the Generals hopes alive as he tied it up 4-4 and forced the match into overtime.
Unfortunately, it was the Islanders who found the back of the net first, to win 5-4.
Against the Kraken, the Generals gave up an early goal 46 seconds into the first period. But they rallied with three goals in a row scored by Braeden Leary, Ross, and Finlay Klippenstein to lead 3-1 going into the final frame. The host team were able to cut gap but Ross put the game out of reach late in the period to give the Generals a morale-boosting 4-2 win.
The Generals are are ranked second in the North Division behind the Comox Valley Glacier Kings.
ICE CHIPS: On the road, Ross scored four goals and an assist and was also named player of the game against Kraken …. Braeden Leary had five assists and a goal and earned POG honour against the Islanders… the Generals are back on the road Thursday, Sept. 29 heading to Victoria to face the Cougars at Archie Brown Arena at 7 p.m.