The Abbotsford Pilots continue to take care of business on home ice this month, and aim to make it five straight tonight (Friday) against the Langley Trappers.
The Pilots fourth win at MSA Arena in November saw the club take down the Port Moody Panthers 7-4 on Nov. 23.
An offensively charged first period saw Abbotsford escape with a 3-2 lead, after goals from Baylee Wright, Sean McCracken and Cameron Obcena.
The Pilots added to the lead in the second with Wright and Jacob De Waal putting Abbotsford up 5-3 after 40 minutes.
De Waal and Justin Peaker added goals in the third period, with the Panthers adding a late power play goal.
Wright and De Waal recorded five point nights each, and the duo are now first and second, respectively, in Pacific Junior Hockey League scoring. Wright now has 62 points in 23 games, while De Waal has 42 in 21.
The Pilots outshot the Panthers 56-26 in the win, and Abbotsford goalie Keaton Dyck made 22 saves for his 13th win this season.
The win comes off a 5-2 loss to the Delta Ice Hawks on Nov. 20. Abbotsford fell behind 4-1 after two periods and couldn’t battle back. Wright and Thomas Pickering scored for the Pilots, with Dyck again making 22 saves in the loss.
The pair of games bumped the Pilots out of top spot in the PJHL’s Harold Brittain conference, and the club has compiled a record of 14-8-1. They are second in the conference and fifth overall.
Abbotsford trails the Langley Trappers by two points for first place, setting up tonight’s game as a battle for top spot. The Pilots also have two games in hand on the Trappers.
Face-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at MSA Arena.
Abbotsford then travels to Burnaby to take on the Grandview Steelers on Sunday. The club returns home on Dec. 7 to host the Aldergrove Kodiaks.
For more on the team, visit abbotsfordpilots.com.