Your Okanagan Lakers still have a very precarious hold on first place in the BCIHL league standings after a trip to the island which saw them come away with only 1 point. They lost 5-3 to the U. of Victoria Vikings Friday night and then 5-4 loss in OT to the still unbeaten U. of Vancouver Island Mariners on Saturday. It was a disappointing result in both games, as the team’s bus legs seemed to be the deciding factor. In each game the Lakers allowed the opposition to pot the first two goals, but then roared back to tie. In fact, in the Friday night game they scored the next 3 goals (by Coletyn Boyarski (McKinley, Nemethy), KTWalters (Johnston, Lockhart) and Carter Bettenson (Davidson, De Schepper) to take a lead against Victoria until 3:08 remaining in the game!
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A power play goal from Ethan Anstey tied the game which was quickly followed by a go-ahead goal and an empty net insurance goal. While it was a loss, the Lakers again dominated much of the game, outshooting Victoria 44 to 34. Credit must be given to Victoria’s penalty killers as they shut down the Lakers power play which went 0-5 for the night! Such losses are hard to accept- we will get them next time!

The Saturday night game against the Mariners was a see-saw affair- it was 2-0 Mariners, then 2-1, then 3-1, then 3-2 and tied 3-3, Nanaimo went up 4-3 but the Lakers tied it with 3:11 remaining in the third only to lose in OT. However, the Lakers were lucky to get the 1 point, as this was the first game they were outplayed in every facet of the game except goals. The Mariners outshot the Lakers more than 2 to 1 (22-52!). It was only the stellar play of goalie Jaden Little that kept the team in the game. He turned aside 47 shots and earned the games 3 rd star!

The Mariner announcers were beside themselves as they witnessed him make one improbable save after another! Kudos also have to go to the Lakers Johnny Carmichael who received the games second star. Saturday night’s goal scorers were Johnny Carmichael (Bettensen, Little), Joe Davidson (Walters, Dutka), Zach Park (Walters, Johnston) and Zach Park(Carmichael) .Please come out to cheer on the Lakers as they hope to return to their winning form when they take on the TRU/Logan Lake Miners Saturday night October 28 th at the Capital News Centre Arena (rink 1).

And while you are there (or online at the Lakers website) consider partaking in the Lakers 50/50 first half fund raiser! It will sure help to offset our costs and the odds are definitely better that the Lotto.