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Ridge Meadows Flames grab a share of first place

Beat first-place Langley 4-2 on Friday night
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Jordan Kujala (77) works at the top of Langley goaltender Caedon Bellmann’s crease as Evan Clare (3) defends. (Neil Corbett/The News)

The Ridge Meadows Flames grabbed a share of first place in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, with a 4-2 win over the Langley Trappers on Friday night.

Those two teams are were tied atop the standings of the junior B hockey league as of Monday, with 18 points and identical records of 9-3.

The North Vancouver Wolf Pack have 17 points, but a superior win percentage based on their 8-1 record.

GM Derek Bedard noted the Flames lost their first two games to open the season, but the coaching staff made a few adjustments and the team has gone 9-1 since. The only loss in this stretch was a 1-0 nail-biter against the Wolf Pack.

“We’re pretty happy with where we’re at right now,” he said. “We’ve just got to stay healthy, and keep playing well.”

Goaltender Cameron Connolly was the game’s first star, as the 19-year-old out of Cloverdale made 31 saves on 33 shots, and has now given up just four goals in his last three games.

“He’s in a zone right now,” said Bedard. “He’s been outstanding.”

The Flames are the highest scoring team in the league under new head coach Brent Hughes, who played 357 games in the NHL, and has coaching experience in the minor pro ranks.

The team got goals from four different scorers: defenceman Sam Rose and forwards Thomas Williams, Zack Lagrange and Nick Amsler.

Despite slowing from the incredible scoring pace he has set – 2.33 points per game – with just one point on Friday, Amsler continues to lead the league in scoring with 11 goals and 28 points in 12 games.

The Flames have three road games, and return to Cam Neely Arena on Oct. 29, when they host the Aldergrove Kodiaks.

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Neil Corbett

About the Author: Neil Corbett

I have been a journalist for more than 30 years, the past decade with the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News.
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