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 PanthersB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ Kai TurnerB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™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 WolvesB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ Hatcher, with PanthersB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ 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