The Ridge Meadows Flames have come through a three-game stretch of tough competition, and took three of six points.
The Chilliwack Jets got revenge on the Flames on Friday night, Dec. 6. The Flames had given the Jets just their second loss of the season on Dec. 1, and on Friday night at Cam Neely Arena the Jets took revenge, as they beat their hosts 4-3.
The Flames suffered a 2-1 shootout loss against the White Rock Whalers (16-8-3) the next night. Then on Tuesday, Dec. 10 they beat the Delta Ice Hawks (23-6-1) by a score of 8-5. Delta tops the Tom Shaw Conference.
The Flames now have a record of 23-3-1-1 with overtime and shootout losses, for 48 points in 27 games, and they are in second place in the Pacific Junior Hockey League – within striking distance of the first-place Jets.
Against the Jets, the Flames ran into a hot goaltender, as Luke Roberts made 37 saves on 40 shots, and was named the first star of the game. Chilliwack's Ukrainian import Danyil Denysenko scored twice, and was second star of the game.
The third star was Ridge's James Eagle, with a goal and an assist. Josh Bettesworth and Pierce Whyte also scored.
Ridge's league-best power play stumbled against White Rock, scoring only once in eight chances as star forward Zack Lagrange scored his 27th of the season for the game's only tally.
Next, Ridge outshot the Whalers 49-25, but again got "goalied," as rival netminder Garin Wickstrom had a Whale of a game, and was the first star.
Flames rookie backstop Josh Vallee also had a great game, worthy of second star, as he stopped 24 of 25 shots.
Delta was coming off a 9-7 win over Chilliwack, and playing great hockey through a 10-game win streak, when the Flames handed them a loss on Dec. 10.
In the 8-5 Flames win, Bettesworth scored twice, both shorthanded, giving him five goals in seven games. Nolan Bowsher had a goal and two assists. Captain Lukas Ravenstein, Theo Kochan and Jacob Roche each had a goal and an assist.
The Flames next game will be Friday night, Dec. 13 at Cam Neely Arena, when they host the Grandview Steelers at 7:30 p.m.
