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Ridge Meadows Flames win two in hot start to season

Pitt Meadows rookie Kochan leads team in scoring after four games
Neil Corbett
Neil Corbett
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There were seven penalties for hits to the head, one resulting in this scene. (Neil Corbett/The News)

The Ridge Meadows Flames won a pair of weekend games, and now boast a record of three wins and a loss to start their new campaign in the Pacific Junior Hockey League.

The Flames beat the Port Moody Panthers 4-3 on Saturday night, and dispatched the Chilliwack Jets 4-1 in their regular Friday night home date at Cam Neely Arena.

Against Chilliwack, the Flames power play struck twice in the early going, and Ridge jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Goalie Cam Connolly had a light workload, and stopped 18 of 19 shots to secure the win.

First Star Theo Kochan and Jack Foster each had a goal and an assist, while Lukas Ravenstein and Zack Lagrange also scored.

Kochan, a rookie from Pitt Meadows, has three goals and three assists in four games. That leads his new team, and is good for third overall on the Junior B circuit in the young season.

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For the Jets, it was their only loss in five outings so far this season.

On Saturday at Port Moody Arena it was team captain Jordan Kujala who scored twice and was chosen as the game’s first star, while Jakob Loewen got the game-winning goal in the final minute of play. Foster also scored again.

Connolly stopped 31 of 34 shots, and his three wins is tied for the early lead in the league. He has allowed just four goals in three outings, and sports an impressive 0.946 save percentage so far.

The Flames are back in action on Friday night at MSA Arena in Abbotsford. Their next home game will be Oct. 7 when they host the North Vancouver Wolf Pack. That game will go at 7:30 p.m. at Cam Neely Arena.

• The Flames have also announced they have signed foward Pierce Whyte, who is from Vancouver and a Yale Hockey Academy alum. Last year with the Lions U18 team he had 24 points in 35 games.

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Have a story tip? Email: ncorbett@mapleridgenews.com
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(Neil Corbett/The News)
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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