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Abbotsford Pilots fall in week two of PJHL action

Locals earn one of four points in pair of games
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Pilots goalie Gunnar Nielsen slides across the crease to make a save during PJHL action on Friday. Abbotsford fell 4-3 in overtime to Delta in the team’s fourth regular-season game. (JOHN MORROW)

After kicking off the Pacific Junior Hockey League season with a pair of wins, the Abbotsford Pilots stumbled a bit in week two of regular-season action.

The Pilots earned just one of four possible points in games on Wednesday and Friday, falling 6-4 to the defending champion Aldergrove Kodiaks on the road and then losing 4-3 in overtime to the Delta Ice Hawks at MSA Arena.

Wednesday’s game saw the Abbotsford and Aldergrove teams trade goals in the first period, with Noah Wiebe getting the Pilots on the board late in the period with a power play goal.

Thomas Pickering put the Pilots up 2-1 just 28 seconds into the second period, but Aldergrove took over after that by scoring three unanswered goals to close the period.

Abbotsford clawed back to make it a 5-4 game late in the third after Nate Castonguay and Baylee Wright scored, but the Kodiaks added an empty-net goal to seal the win.

Penalty killing continues to be an issue for the Pilots, as they allowed three goals on six times short-handed.

Abbotsford is ranked last for penalty kill percentage at 77.4 per cent early into the season.

Abbotsford goalie Gunnar Nilesen made 35 saves in a losing cause.

The Pilots then welcomed the Ice Hawks on Friday, and the two teams were deadlocked at two after one.

Alexander Methorst and Wiebe scored for Abbotsford.

The second period saw the teams trade goals again, with Wiebe adding his second.

No goals were scored in the third, and the Ice Hawks finally broke the tie 57 seconds into overtime.

Nielsen made 36 saves, while Wiebe continues his strong start to the season as he has now compiled nine points in four games.

Last week’s results leave the Pilots with a record of two wins, one loss and one overtime loss and they now sit in second place in the Harold Brittain conference.

Abbotsford returns to the ice on Friday, when they host their arch-rivals the Mission City Outlaws. Faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at MSA Arena.

The Pilots then hit the ice on Saturday, when they travel to Port Moody to battle the Panthers.

For more on the team, visit abbotsfordpilots.com.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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