TWO overtimes, two disallowed goals and two teams going for broke added up to two very important points for the North Van Wolf Pack and one entertaining game for their fans Saturday night at the Harry Jerome recreation centre.
The Pack are locked in an intense struggle with the Grandview Steelers for the fourth and final playoff spot in the PIJHL's Tom Shaw Conference with every point crucial from now until the season's end on Sunday. On Saturday the Wolf Pack defeated the Aldergrove Kodiaks, first place in the Harold Brittain Conference, 4-3 in the second overtime period with Marcus Houck chopping in a pinpoint pass from Brodyn Nielsen to give North Van the victory.
"Those were a huge two points," Wolf Pack head coach Matt Samson said after the game, adding that his team now needs to treat every game like it's the playoffs. "I told these guys we're not going to change anything drastic, we've implemented the systems and the things we need to do and they have to go out and perform and compete. And they did that tonight, so I hope we'll continue to see that."
In PIJHL regular season games, teams play one five-minute overtime period of four-on-four hockey and if that doesn't produce a winner they play five more minutes of three-on-three. North Vancouver native Houck, who leads the team in game-winning goals, worked his magic Saturday night in the wide-open spaces of the second OT frame.
"I didn't think he had his best game," said Samson, "(but in) the three-on-three, foot speed is really big for him so we sort of played a hunch, he and Brodyn had some chemistry. Brodyn made a great play and . . . if (Houck) gets the puck on his stick around the blue ice he's going to put it in. That's a skill play - a backhand, one-timer. Not everybody can do that. That was a huge goal for him."
The Kodiaks got off to a strong start in the game with Samuel Ramsay scoring just two minutes into the opening period. It stayed that way until late in the second period when Brady Bjornson, the Wolf Pack's leading scorer and only over-age player, picked off a clearing attempt, walked into the slot and wired home the equalizer.
"I thought he had a great game," Samson said of Bjornson. "He got us on the board, got us back to 1-1 and we gave him a lot of ice time after that which we will continue to do until the end of the year."
The Pack took the lead early in the third when checking-line winger Brett Gough charged down the left wing, cut hard to the net and slid a tough-angle backhand along the ice that found its way through the goalie's legs. Samson praised Gough for scoring his key goal as well as for playing tough defence on Aldergrove's Thomas Hardy, the league's top goal scorer who was limited to just one assist against the Pack.
"He has been a great energy guy for us," Samson said of Gough, a player who made the team after playing house league hockey in Port Coquitlam last year. "He came to our camp with no expectations and he's a guy who really stood out in camp with his work ethic. He back-checked and we thought he could be a guy who would be a bit of a Sean Avery, a bit of a pest and put a few pucks in the net."
The Wolf Pack appeared to be cruising towards a tough 2-1 win but the game broke wide open in the dying minutes of the third. North Van killed off three straight penalties - helped by a goal waved off by a quick whistle - but then gave up a shorthanded goal to Spencer McHaffie that tied it up 2-2 with six minutes left. Just 30 seconds later the Pack were back in front after Kyle Hoekstra banged in a rebound on that same power play but the Kodiaks answered back again 90 seconds later with Brandon Potomak scoring to make it 3-3. From there it was fire-wagon hockey with the teams trading chances in the final minutes of the third period and through the two overtimes.
Samson said his team was going for broke in OT knowing that the extra point was up for grabs. "Once we got the one point, then it was like, 'OK, let's go for it.' They had three forwards out there, breakaways down here. It just sort of opened up."
Wolf Pack goalie Jordan Liem rebounded from a couple of mental lapses on the earlier goals to shut the door, turning aside a number of great chances in the final minutes. The Kodiaks thought they had it won at the start of the second overtime but this time their goal was waved off because it was kicked in. That opened the door for Houck's heroics and North Van's win.
As of today the Wolf Pack are two points ahead of the Steelers with three games left for each team. The Pack control their own destiny but the season could come down to a huge showdown between the two teams in North Van's final game of the regular season scheduled for Saturday night at Harry Jerome. Samson said he's hoping his team can wrap up the spot before then but, if not, his boys will be ready.
"I think we can take care of (Grandview) but, like I said, it would be really nice if it didn't come down to that. If it does though hopefully there will be a good atmosphere. I know the boys will be pumped. It's nice to control our own playoff destiny, not to have to rely on other people. Obviously it would be nice if we got some help from other clubs but we can't hang our hat on that, we've got to do our job ourselves."
Whatever the outcome, Samson said it's great to be playing meaningful games this late in the season after the team registered just six wins all of last year, their final season in Squamish before they moved to North Van last summer. A playoff spot would top it all off but in the competitive Shaw Conference - home to five of the top seven teams in the PIJHL - it will come down to the wire.
"Unfortunately a really good team in my opinion is going to miss the playoffs. Whether it's us or Grandview - obviously we're hoping it's Grandview but they deserve to be in the playoffs. That's just the way it goes, I guess."
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Saturday will be fan appreciation day for the Wolf Pack. The evening will include giveaways as well as a prize for best Wolf Pack sign. Children under 12 will be admitted for $2. The game starts at 7 p.m. at Harry Jerome.
