The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals survived two close games to end up with a 2-0 record last week.
After splitting their opening games in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, the Generals bounced back strong.
They were tested when they hosted their Southern rivals, the Victoria Cougars, who are the defending champions at Oceanside Place on Sept. 13. The Generals weathered the Cougars’ aggressive offence to earn a 3-2 win.
Then on Saturday night, Sept. 14, the Generals hit the road to face the Comox Glacier Kings, who put up quite a strong resistance. They had to work extra hard for the 2-0 win.
The two wins lifted the Generals to second place in North Division standings with three wins and a loss.
Against the Cougars, the Generals were outshot 40-23. Goalie James Brendeland was in top form, turning away 38 of 40 shots he faced to keep the Generals in contention.
The Generals took the initial lead at 11:25 in the first period off the stick of Elijah Goyer. The Cougars evened it up at 16:13 to end the period with a 1-1 score. In the second, the Cougars took the lead at 7:01 but in the latter part of the frame at 12:27 Cage Newans scored on the man advantage to even things at 2-2. In the third, the Generals got the early goal at 2:15 by Goyer, which ended up to be the winner.
The next night, the Generals started slowly against the Glacier Kings and hardly got their offence going. The first period ended in a scoreless tie.
In the second, the Generals were a lot more active offensively, taking 19 shots while limiting the Glacier Kings to just six.
They finally got a goal past the midway mark of the second, netted by Dawson Heathcote on the power play.
In the final frame, the Generals were held scoreless by a defiant Glacier Kings, who as a last gasp measure, pulled in their goal hoping to nail an equalizer. However, things went the Generals way as they landed an empty-netter, scored by Goyer.
The Generals were back on the road Wednesday night against the Westshore Wolves. (At press time, results were not available). Then on Friday night, they head to the Rob Brind’Amour Arena to take on the Campbell River Storm at 7:30 p.m.
The Generals are back home on Saturday night to face the Saanich Braves at Oceanside Place at 7 p.m.