CHILLIWACK- The Chilliwack Chiefs earned their first win on home ice this season. Mateo Mrsic buried one past a sprawled Mason Beaupit on the powerplay at 2:50 in overtime at the Chilliwack Coliseum in Friday night BCHL action.
Heading into the third, both teams were desperate for a win, and the pressure was noticeable on the ice. Chilliwack, who has lost three in a row, and Langley, who has lost seven in a row, both needed two points.
The Chilliwack Chiefs (7-9-1) went 2/6 on the powerplay, and the Langley Rivermen (5-13-1) lost their first overtime game of the season.
It was a cozy Friday night in the Coliseum as the Ann Davis Transition Society Warm Clothing Drive helped those in the community. Thank you, Chilliwack, for your kind donations.
Both teams came out hard-hitting and ready to play. At 8:16 in the first, Conner Schneider from the blue line saw a wide-open Aaron Reierson behind the net. Reierson’s accurate diagonal pass across the front allowed Oskar Komarov a clear opportunity top shelf, and he did not miss.
The early deficit did not phase the Chiefs, who quickly turned around and found themselves with momentum in the Rivermen’s end. Only 1:17 after Langley scored, a quick pass from Austin Peters behind the net landed right on Caleb Elfering’s stick in front, and he wasted no time unleashing a quick shot to fool goalie Beaupit. Elfering broke a three-game point drought, which was his longest of the season.
Chilliwack had plenty of chances in the first period but struggled to put the finishing touches to get it across more than once.
Langley had a few solid chances early in the second period, but their second goal came when Vitaly Levyy shoveled it out from in front and over the shoulder of Nikitin. The Sacred Heart University commit has 10 goals this year and still leads the Rivermen in points with 19. Reierson picked up his second assist of the night.
The back-and-forth game continued when Savin Virk hit a wide-open net on the powerplay off another great pass from Peters through traffic set the Chiefs up for success, with Olivier Beaulieu also cashing in for the assist. That goal sent it to overtime, where Mrsic scored his 4th of the season.
Chief’s Nikitin stopped 18 shots in his first start since October 28th. Rivermen’s Beaupit put up an impressive evening in net with 39 stops.
The double home game weekend sees the Chiefs play the Powell River Kings next on Saturday, November 18th at 6 pm at the Coliseum. Tickets are available anytime online.
