The puck drops tomorrow night (Dec. 19) in Saanich as South Division rivals Westshore Wolves and Saanich Braves go head-to-head in Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League play at Pearkes Recreation Centre.
The Wolves (15-13-0-3) are looking to get back on the winning track after losing their second straight game, 7-5 to the Peninsula Panthers on Wednesday.
The Wolves jumped to an early lead in the first with a goal by Jake Calnan from Marshall Brown and Jonah Philip. It was answered by Panthers’ Kai Turner’s first of the night on the power play from Garnett Roberts and Trevor Owens.
Not to be outdone, Nathan Gelsinger snuck one past Panthers goaltender Alex Olson to make it 2-1 just over a minute later.
However, that would be the last time the Wolves led on the scoreboard as the second started with three goals by the Panthers to go up 4-2.
Hatcher got the Wolves back on the scoreboard with a goal just past the 15-minute mark, followed by a goal from teammate Jacob Malloch to tie the game 4-4. But Turner was back on the prowl for the Panthers, notching another goal on the power play at the end of the second to put his team up 5-4.
Peninsula's Marty Westhaver, with his second of the game, and teammate Ty Hemrsen sandwiched third-period goals around one from Westshore's Calvin Walker to round out the scoring.
Third star of the game was awarded to Wolves’ Hatcher, with Panthers’ Westhaver and Turner taking first and second respectively, after scoring two goals apiece in the game.
The Wolves play their final pre-Christmas game next Wednesday (Dec. 23) at 7 p.m. at The Q Centre, against the Kerry Park Islanders.
katie@goldstreamgazette.com