The Storm rolled into the weekend on a 5 game winning streak with an opportunity to widen their lead in the VIJHL North Division. It would mean making the best of three games in three days. On Sunday, they closed out the successful weekend at Rod Brind’Amour Arena with a 6-2 victory over the Saanich Braves before a boisterous crowd.
First up was the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Friday at the Brindy. It was one of the most complete games of the season for the Red and Black. They dominated from the opening faceoff to the final buzzer. Going with just 10 forwards Head Coach, Lee Stone, was pleased with the result, “Beyond the goals, the 9-1 (score), we played a really smart game.” He added, “We moved the puck exceptionally well and when we’re moving the puck with speed, teams can’t handle us.”
Colin Blake, Braeden Cyra and Alex Rosolowsky were the three stars and were instrumental in 6 of the 9 goals.
Oceanside was next up on Saturday and despite a dismal overall record, the team had picked up points in their previous three games.
A crazy third period, with 9 shots getting past the two netminders, led to a 9-5 final. Although the outcome wasn’t in doubt, Stone wasn’t thrilled with the defensive play of his team that night, “You’re not going to score 9 goals every night; we need to play better defence. When you score that many goals, you can get away with some bad habits.”
Offensively Gage Colpron had a stellar 5 point game, picking up three goals including a short-handed marker in the second period.
On Sunday, the grinding line of Aaron Brewer, Christian Brandt and Joe Gage found the net figuring in three of Campbell River’s six goals in the 6-2 win.
Brewer, despite getting no credit on the first goal of the afternoon, dug the puck out of a crowded corner then centred it to Brandt who found Austin Steger at the side of the net. Stone exalted the play of the younger Brewer, “Aaron’s a guy that most nights doesn’t show up on the scoresheet but is such a hardworking kid. He’s a lot of what we need in our lineup in terms of tenacity and energy.”
One of the big storylines going into last weekend was the trade of the popular Brett Witala to the KIJHL Creston Valley Thundercats in exchange for Steger, an offensively minded D-man with a flair for the pass.
Mike Wilson, Storm Associate Coach, scouted the newcomer and said, “Steegs is a player with dynamic skill, a guy that commands the play, he wants the puck on his stick and when he gets it he makes a good play.”
Stone admitted that a recent comment made by Steger caught his attention. In an interview, Steger described his style of play, “I’ll shoot for a stick before I shoot for the net.”
Early indications are positive as he’s already picked up 5 points in his first weekend with the Storm (1 goal and 4 assists).
Campbell River, with an 11 point cushion in the standings, has just one game this week and it’s on the road, Friday, in Saanich. They return to the friendly confines of the Brindy on Friday, Dec. 4 for the annual Teddy Bear Toss Game.