For the Campbell River Storm it was a long week between games following a huge loss to the Victoria Cougars.
They made the best of the seven days, practicing hard, and were well prepared going into a three game weekend.
It would be three wins in three days.
On Friday, the Storm dominated the Peninsula Panthers in North Saanich on their way to a 6-3 triumph.
The following evening in Parksville, the Storm crushed the Generals 8-2. Back home for a Sunday afternoon return match with the Panthers, they closed off the weekend with a 5-3 victory.
“Overall, I thought we played well over the whole weekend. We scored goals which we’ve struggled with at times,” said General Manager and Head Coach Lee Stone. “We got 19 on the weekend.”
In Sunday’s victory against Peninsula, the Storm struck early – just 59 seconds into the game – when Carter Hikichi rifled the puck past Alex Olson to make it 1-0 before appreciative fans at Rod Brind’Amour Arena.
Hikichi, acquired from the Notre Dame Hounds, was the game’s first star. Despite dominating, and outshooting the Panthers 14-2, the Storm had to settle for a 1-0 lead at the end of the first.
Peninsula, however, got back in the game by the two minute mark of the second period, scoring two quick ones. The Storm’s Gage Colpron, though, scored at the 2:27 mark and Campbell River never looked back.
Four minutes later, Keenan Scardina made a beautiful move inside the blue line to side step his check before firing the puck into the back of the net. Late in the period, on the power play, Michal Holub made it 4-2 when he was able to capitalize on a goal mouth scramble.
Midway through the third period, Peninsula cut the lead to one on the power play. Campbell River got a late goal to extend the lead to 5-3. Colpron, streaking down the right wing, centred a hard pass to Alex Rosolowsky who deflected the puck up and under the crossbar.
Campbell River 8 Oceanside 2
Aside from giving up two power play goals, the Storm dictated the play on Saturday, outshooting the Generals 42-21 on their way to an 8-2 trouncing.
Campbell River scoring came from Hikichi, with a pair, and singles from Colpron, Rosolowsky, Cole Slaney, Dylan McCann, Kobe Oishi and Alex Brewer.
Josh Coblenz left the game with an apparent leg injury in the third period. He’s listed as day to day.
Campbell River 6 Peninsula 3
On Friday, Coach Stone made some changes to his lines and created some real chemistry. The Colpron (two goals, one assist), Rosolowsky (one goal, two assists) and Colin Blake (one goal, three assists) grouping gave the Panthers fits on Friday night.
As a result of some injuries on the back line, Holub was moved to defence and fit in well in his new role.
“Lubzy is loved in the room, he’s high energy and now that he’s on the back end, it gives us another dimension in terms of moving the puck,” Coach Stone said.
Other goals on Friday came from Brett Witala and Christian Brandt.
The strong weekend performance puts the Red and Black back into top spot in the VIJHL North Division, two points ahead of the Nanaimo Buccaneers with a game in hand.
This sets up an important home and homes series with the Buccs starting Thursday in Nanaimo.