The Ridge Meadows Flames dropped the first two games of the Mowat Cup, and now have to win three straight in Grand Forks to take the BC Hockey Junior A championship.
The Flames lost 5-3 on Wednesday night, April 23, in Langley, the second game of the best-of-five against the Border Bruins.
Ridge led 2-1 after the first period on power play goals by franchise all-time scoring leader Theo Kochan, and offensive defenceman Jakob Loewen.
The Bruins tied it after the second, but Pacific Junior Hockey League scoring champ and MVP Zack Lagrange gave the Flames a 3-2 lead midway through third period.
Bruin Tyler Burke got his third snipe of the series as the tying goal, and the Kootenay champions got the game winner on the power play with just 46 minutes left in the game. It was a soft shot, that looked like it was partly blocked. They added a late insurance goal.
After the Game One loss on Tuesday, Flames head coach Brent Hughes said his team was not playing like they had in beating the Delta Ice Hawks in the Stonehouse Cup championship, back on March 30.
"A three-week layover here was a lot worse than we anticipated," said Hughes. "Our guys didn't get off to a good start, and we never got to play Flames hockey."
He said his team needs to get back its good habits, work ethic, and attention to systems play. The rust also showed in a lot of shots that missed the net, he said.
Hughes also gave credit to the Bruins, who won the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League championship.
"Grand Forks has got a great hockey club too, and obviously they're champions," said the coach. "And they come down here serious to win this series too."
Burke leads the series in scoring with three goals and three assists, while Flames Nolan Bowsher, Lagrange and Loewen each have a goal and two assists in two games.
If the Flames are to come back in the series, and break the Bruins hearts, they will have to beat the Kootenay champs in three straight games in Grand Forks. Two games are scheduled for this weekend, April 26 and 27, and game five is set for Tuesday, April 29, if necessary.
The Flames have not lost three games in a row in the past two seasons.
Dave Hnatiuk Border Bruins GM said the Flames power play is an issue for his team, and they will have to be more disciplined in the series.
"It's two good teams going at it, and it's been a really good series so far," said Hnatiuk.
