Unbeaten on the road, but winless on home ice.
That’s the status of the North Delta Devils two weeks into the Pacific Junior Hockey League season, after a 4-4 tie last Thursday night against the Richmond Sockeyes and a 3-0 loss to the Grandview Steelers Saturday at the Sungod Arena.
The single point from two games last week leaves the Junior B team in fourth place in the Tom Shaw Conference with a 1-2-0-1 (win-loss-overtime loss-tie) record, trailing the only three teams in the 10-team PJHL yet to lose in regulation time.
Goaltender Steve Myland allowed North Delta to steal a point Thursday at the Richmond Arena. The 19-year-old from Cloverdale turned aside 44 of 48 Sockeye shots, while Surrey’s Tristan Craighead netted a pair of third period goals to rally the visitors from a 4-2 deficit in the third period.
The Devils were up 2-1 after 20 minutes, with Marco Romano opening the scoring with an unassisted goal, then Justus Rodonets restoring the Devils lead a minute after the Sockeyes notched their first goal of the game.
Richmond dominated the second period, outshooting their guests 14-3 and surging into a two-goal lead with three goals in two minutes late in the session.
The Sockeyes again had the run of the play in the final frame, but failed to score despite 17 more shots at Myland. Craighead pulled North Delta to within one with 11 minutes to go in the game, then tied the contest with just 73 seconds left.
Ten minutes of overtime solved nothing, and the Devils escaped with the tie.
Richmond had a 48-22 shots on goal advantage, and went one-for-four on the power play while killing off their only shorthanded situation.
Shane Kumar assisted on three of the four North Delta goals, while Romano drew an assist on the game-tying goal to finish the night with two points.
North Delta failed to score on home ice Saturday, and managed just 23 shots on the Grandview net.
The Steelers led 2-0 after one period, and went up 3-0 after 40 minutes. Myland was again in goal for the Devils, making 36 saves.
North Delta was scoreless in five powerplays, allowing one shorthanded goal, while the Steelers were one-for-six with the man advantage.
The Devils are in Ladner tonight for a midweek clash against the Delta Ice Hawks, then play at home Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at the Sungod Arena. The 1-3-0-1 Ridge Meadows Flames are the visitors.