The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals rang in the New Year with a 4-2 win against the Comox Valley Glacier Kings in VIJHL action at Oceanside Place on Friday (Jan. 7).
It brought the Generals back on the winning track after they ended 2021 on a three-game losing streak.
Before the game started, the Generals and the Glacier Kings players paid tribute to Grant Gilbertson, the 18-year-old Peninsula Panther player who was killed in a motor vehicle incident on his way to practice earlier this month.
The players gathered in a circle at the centre of the ice, tapped their sticks 26 times, which represents the jersey number of Gilbertson, and also held a moment of silence.
The Generals also decided to wear the No. 26 sticker on their helmets to honour Gilbertson, whose older brother Garrett played three seasons with the Generals.
READ MORE: Vancouver Island hockey community in mourning after junior player dies in crash
The Glacier Kings grabbed the early and were up 2-1 entering the second period. Chase Heslop scored the lone goal for the Generals, unassisted. But in the second, the Generals went on attack mode and ended up netting three unanswered goals to lead 4-2, which they held on to the very end. Jacob Thomas, Carter Johnson and Brady Van Herk each scored for the Generals, who outshot the visitors 37-17.
The Generals Saturday game (Jan. 8) against league leaders Campbell River Storm was postponed due to bad weather. They will be back in action on Jan. 14 when they host the Westshore Wolves at Oceanside Place at 7 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Generals have acquired defenceman Brad Cimaglia from Saanich in exchange for a player development fee and futures.
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