Putting in a little extra time has lifted the North Delta Devils up one position in the Tom Shaw Conference standings.
After pushing the Delta Ice Hawks to overtime before losing 2-1 last week in Ladner, the Devils were in another pair of Pacific International Junior Hockey League sudden-deatch tiebreaking contests.
Thursday night in Mission, they defeated the host Icebreakers 5-4, then lost a 2-1 decision to the Abbotsford Pilots Saturday evening at the Sungod Arena.
In earning three of a possible four points, the Devils are are back at .500 with a 5-5-3 (won-lost-overtime loss) record, and are a point ahead of the Grandview Steelers and three up on the North Vancouver Wolf Pack.
Jacob Wensley ended Thursday’s game, scoring the winning goal with just 35 seconds left to play in the five-minute extra period.
Julius Ho, who assisted on the winning goal, scored the game’s first goal and also helped set up the tying tally with less than two minutes left in regulation time. Tanner Lenting sent the game into overtime with a powerplay goal.
Stephen Campbell and Levi De Waal netted the other two Devils’ goals. North Delta had a huge 55-34 edge in shots on goal, including a 7-1 advantage in overtime.
Playing against the first place team from the Harold Brittain Conference Saturday night, North Delta hung on to take a point from the Pilots.
Devils netminder Steve Myland earned the game’s first star honour, blocking 43 of 44 shots in regulation time. Ho scored the lone goal for the home team, a powerplay marker midway through the third period to tie the game 1-1.
Surrey resident Adam Rossi led the Pilots, assisting on the first Abbotsford goal then netting the winner less than two minutes into overtime.
The Devils play twice next weekend, hosting the Port Moody Black Panthers Friday night at 8:15 p.m. at the Sungod Arena, then visiting the North Vancouver Wolf Pack Saturday evening.