Campbell River Midget B Advanced Marine Power Lacrosse team has had a great run at their season so far.
Current record of their league games are: seven wins and two losses.
The long weekend games on May 19 provided a good venue for the Ravens to show their abilities in a double header against Victoria Esquimalt Eagles.
The first game of the day was shortly after noon. The Victoria team was quick to open with a goal in the first minute of the game. By the end of the first five minutes the other team was up by two. The Ravens saw their game start to open up shortly after and the team was getting in the grove of passing the ball well and getting back on defence quickly. They started to close the gap with two first period goals by Lucas Marriot Spencer. First period ended 3-2 for the opposing team.
Second period saw the Ravens tie the game with the only goal in that period scored by Colton Edwards who received a great pass from Steven Dykhusen. It would seem that the Ravens were gaining steam as the first goal in the third period put them ahead for the first time in the game. Nathan Hoff’s first goal of the season was the product of much perseverance as the team started to put more shots on the Vic-Esquimalt Net.
Half was through the third, Victoria scored. This left the Ravens looking to position themselves for a go ahead goal. But the Victoria team put one in the net with only 1:33 left in the game.
With such a short amount of time on the clock, the Raven coaches quickly pulled their netminder and try to gain the goal with the extra runner. A bad bounce past the defence and Victoria put their final goal of the game in an empty net.
Although disheartened by the loss, the Ravens were feeling pretty good. The Vic-Esquimalt team had very few losses this season to date.
The afternoon game saw some refreshed and energized Ravens take the floor. First goal of the afternoon game this time went to the Colton Edwards with an assist to Griffin Whyley. Ravens set the pace with that first goal and didn’t look back. The visiting team managed to respond to the first period goal and score was 1-1 by the end of the first period but Ravens were playing with their heads up.
Second period saw the Victoria team make their first attack on the Ravens’ net and moved them up by one twice in the second period. Ravens Griffin Whyley and Ryan Smith responded each time by scoring on the opposing net. Third period was all Ravens.
With the score 3-3 at the end of the second, the Ravens knew they had to pull ahead and after some words of wisdom from coaches Joe Whyley and Doug Robinson the players went full steam ahead. Tod Wellman steamrolled a couple of visitors on the floor before dropping the go ahead go into the net half way through the last period.
Dayton Tatton added the reassurance, followed by Kyle Maximick. While the Ravens were already up by three goals they couldn’t help but cheer when teammate Griffin Whyley scored the seventh goal of the game with 0.9 seconds left on the clock.
Dylan Sparling, Nathan Hoff and Selena Lasota’s aggressive defence during this match helped out the goaltender Bailey Robinson to keep things in the offensive mode.
There was plenty to be glad about as the Ravens had given the Victoria Esquimalt Eagles their first loss of the season.
Next game for the Midget B Ravens: May 27 at Howie Meeker Arena in Oceanside Place at 4 p.m.