The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals are in command.
The Generals beat the visiting Campbell River Storm 4-3 Saturday (March 12) in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League North Division final at Oceanside Place.
The Generals now lead the series 2-0, with Game 3 set to be played at Rod Brind’Amour Arena in Campbell River on March 15.
After an impressive 9-2 win in Game 1, the Generals continued their dominating play as they grabbed the early lead 45 seconds into the opening frame as Evan Dyce netted a power-play marker. Greyson Weme two minutes past the midway mark made it 2-0 for the Generals. The Storm were able to cut the lead in half with eight seconds left to play in the first on Kai Nagy’s p0wer-play goal.
In the second period, the Generals strong forechecking and physical game wore down the Storm defence. They scored two unanswered goals, off the sticks of Braeden Leary and Nolan Wyatt, his first goal in the playoffs and what turned out to be the winning goal.
The league-leading Storm made a strong comeback in the third, scoring two goals that included one with just seven seconds left to play.
READ MORE: VIJHL: Johnson has 7 points as Generals roll to 9-2 win over Storm in series opener
Generals’ top scorer Carter Johnson said the plan is to continue to play hard and not let the opportunities slip from their grasp.
“We played Campbell River pretty good all year,” said Johnson. “We beat them a couple of times during the year and their two regular overtime losses were from us. And we know if we keep playing physical and sticking to our systems, we match up pretty good against them.”
Wyatt was happy to see the Generals go up 2-0 but after fading in the third period Saturday night, they know they have to play a full 60-minute game.
“We kind of stepped off the gas and so we need to be better in the next couple of games,” said Wyatt. “We’re looking to close the series off and we can’t let them be getting any hope.”
Goalie Ashton Sadauskas turned away 27 of 29 shots to earn the win in goal and also named star of the game.
The next home contest for the Generals is Game 4 at Oceanside Place on March 17, at 7 p.m.
