The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) champions, 100 Mile House Wranglers, nipped the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) champions, Mission City Outlaws, 2-1 in the Cyclone Taylor Cup at the Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt on April 8.
At 18:54 of the first period, the Wranglers jumped in front with a goal by Alex Hanson, who was back in the lineup being hit in the head during the KIJHL championship series. Wranglers' defenceman Tavis Roch picked up the assist.
Midway through the first period Nick McCabe (Justin Bond) gave the Wranglers a 2-0 lead on what turned out to be his game-winning goal.
Outlaw David McGowan (Bryce Pisiak) closed the gap to one goal on a power play at 3:45 minutes left in the second period.
There was no scoring in the third period.
McGowan's marker was the lone power-play goal of the game and both teams had four man-advantage opportunities.
The game saw a lot of activity in both penalty boxes, as tempers flared during the hard-hitting tilt.
Wranglers’ goalie Zane Steeves was named the first star of the game, while Outlaws net-minder Jeffrey Veitch took second-star honours.
Game 1 loss
The Wranglers lost their first game of the Provincial Junior B championship 4-2 to the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) champions, Victoria Cougars, on April 7.
There was no scoring in the fast-paced first period.
Cougar Nathan Looysen (Cody Hodges) gave Victoria a 1-0 lead at 18:44 of the first period.
Three minutes later, Cougar Jordan Passmore (Bryton Beattie, Ryan Carson) made it 2-0 for the host team.
Wrangler Tyler Povelofskie (Brett Harris) chopped lead in half at 6:18 of the second stanza.
Looysen (Ryan Vorster) tallied the Cougar's third goal of the game with a short-handed marker with 16:34 left of the third to give Victoria the 3-1 lead.
Bond (Austin Turner, Michael Lynch) narrowed the gap to 3-2 on a power play with 6:24 left in the third.
Hodges closed out the scoring on an unassisted empty net marker with six seconds left in the game.
Looysen was named the first star of the game, while Povelofskie got the nod for the second star of the contest.
Read the details of the Provincial Junior B Championships in the April 14 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.
