David Bondra scored three times and Mitch Gillam made 26 saves to help lead the Chiefs to a 5-3 win over the Langley Rivermen Friday night at Prospera Centre.
The win was the third straight for the Chiefs who improve to 9-6-0-1 on the season. The loss was the twelfth of the season for the Rivermen who fall to 6-12-0-0.
The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead on David Bondra’s power play goal 10:30 into the first period. Bondra took a pass from Malcolm Gould behind the Langley net, neatly skated out front and tucked a backhander along the ice behind goaltender Jim Kruger. Derek Huisman also assisted on the goal.
Bondra struck again with another power play marker just under three minutes later. Stationed at the right side of the net, Bondra had his centering pass stopped by Kruger, but was quick to knock the loose puck across the goal line. Huisman and Perron-Fontaine earned the assists.
Chilliwack outshot Langley 11-8 through twenty minutes.
Derek Huisman had a great opportunity to increase the Chiefs lead on a breakaway one minute into the second period. Huisman had Kruger beat but his backhand shot hit the crossbar.
After killing off three straight penalties, the Chiefs surrendered an even strength goal to Austin Plevy with just under three minutes left in the second period. Patrick Martens and Chris Tracy picked up the assists.
Each team had nine shots on goal in the second period.
The Rivermen tied the game at two 2:14 into the third period when Ryan Lisowski’s point shot eluded Chiefs net minder Mitch Gillam.
Chilliwack regained the lead three minutes later on a bit of a lucky goal. A centering attempt by Trevor Hills bounced off a Langley defender's skate in front of the net and bounced in behind Kruger.
The Chiefs increased their lead to 4-2 when Jaret Babych scored his third of the season on a two on one break with just over ten minutes left in the period. Babych carried the puck down the right wing faked a forehand pass and tucked a backhand shot in behind Kruger. Tyler Miller and Shay Laurent assisted.
A nifty deflection of a Valik Chichkin point shot by Darnell Dyck on the power play with 6:11 left in the third brought the Rivermen to within one.
Bondra finished the scoring with his third of the night into an empty net with 47 seconds left.
Chilliwack finished with 36 shots to 29 for Langley
The Chiefs were 2/5 on the power play and 4/5 on the penalty kill.
The Chiefs are back on home ice Saturday night when they host the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Game time is 7pm.
