After dropping their first game of the season on the road, the North Delta Devils notched a victory in their home opener Saturday night at the Sungod Arena.
A goal by Devon Elford three minutes into extra time lifted the Devils to a 2-1 win over the visiting Richmond Sockeyes. North Delta was defeated 4-2 by the Delta Ice Hawks last Tuesday night in Ladner.
Marco Romano scored the game’s first goal just two minutes into the Pacific International Junior Hockey League game, a lead that held up for 10 minutes before Sam Chichak of the Sockeyes tied the game.
Outshot 17-7 in the opening period, North Delta got a 29-save performance from netminder Tyler Read to stay in the game. The Devils held an 11-10 edge in shots in the third period, but couldn’t get a winning goal past Richmond’s Payton Lee.
Eight minor penalties were called, with Richmond getting five power play opportunities and scoring once. They killed off three shorthanded situations.
Against the Ice Hawks last week, the home team led 2-0 after 40 minutes on a pair of goals by Anthony Brito.
Mack Wallace, who assisted on the overtime winner Saturday, and Tristan Craighead notched goals four minutes apart in the third period to pull the Devils even.
Brito set up Tanner Gattinger for the winning goal with less than five minutes to play, then added his fourth point of the night by assisting on Michael Olson-Eyre’s empty net goal with 17 seconds to play.
After two games with rivals from the Tom Shaw Conference to start the season, the Devils will play a pair of games against teams from the Junior B league’s other group this week.
They visit the Mission City Outlaws Thursday evening, then are at home for a contest with the Ridge Meadows Flames Saturday at 6:45 p.m. in the Sungod Arena.
The Flames are the only winless team in the PIJHL, in the basement of the Harold Brittain Conference after losing their first two outings of the season.