The Ridge Meadows Flames look like a playoff team, after a dramatic 2-1 double overtime win over the league’s top team.
The Flames finished the Pacific Junior Hockey League regular season as average as can be, with a record of 20-20-1-3, for 44 points in 44 games. They got the last berth into the post season.
But on Friday night at Cam Neely Arena they battled the league’s top team, the North Vancouver Wolf Pack, through a 1-1 game, a first overtime period and halfway through a second, before beating them 2-1.
That gives the Flames a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Wolf Pack finished a formidable 34-9-0-1 on the season, and the Flames weren’t able to beat them in four previous outings.
Flame forward Paul Georgeopoulos was the hero, scoring the winner near the midpoint of the second overtime period.
The veteran made first-year GM Derek Bedard look like a genius, after Bedard re-acquired the much-travelled junior B veteran in a January trade with the Port Moody Panthers. Bedard even called him “the ultimate warrior” after bringing him back.
But it was both goaltenders, Paul Tucek for the Flames and Spencer Eschyschyn of the Wolf Pack who were named the first and second stars respectively, with Georgeopolous getting third star honours. The shots were 37-36 in favour of the home team.
For Tucek, it was his 15th career playoff win, all with the Flames.
Brett Didyk scored on the power play for the Flames to tie the game, and Jayden Genberg assisted on both goals.
Now the series shifts to the Harry Jerome Recreation Centre for games tonight (Saturday) and Monday in front of the Pack’s own fans. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Game four will be back in Maple Ridge on Friday, Feb. 22 at Cam Neely with a 7:30 p.m. start.
• In Abbotsford, the host Pilots scored three times in the first eight minutes and defeated the Langley Trappers by a score of 4-2. The Pilots lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
• In Aldergrove, the Kodiaks opened their quarter-final series by defeating the Delta Ice Hawks by a score of 3-1.