Though the Abbotsford Pilots dropped the first two games of their second-round playoff series against the Aldergrove Kodiaks, head coach Jim Cowden insisted his team was actually playing pretty well.
Cowden felt his squad just needed to tighten a few things up and stay the course, and his steady-as-she-goes approach paid dividends on the weekend, as the Pilots beat the Kodiaks three times in three nights to seize control.
Abbotsford swept a pair of home games at MSA Arena, 5-1 on Friday and 5-4 on Saturday, then capped the weekend with a 5-2 triumph at Aldergrove Community Arena on Sunday.
"We weren't playing that bad at the beginning," Cowden analyzed. "Their goalie (Ross Baadsvik) was playing really well, so we made a few adjustments and improved on the penalty kill, and we've been fine."
The Kodiaks had torched the Pilots for five power-play goals on seven chances in a 6-4 win in Game 2 on Wednesday. But in the three games since, Abbotsford has limited Aldergrove to just one man-advantage marker in 13 chances.
On Friday, the Pilots fashioned a 4-0 lead through two periods, with two goals coming off the stick of Riley Lamb.
On Saturday, Abbotsford built another big lead – 4-1 after the first period – before hanging on for the victory. Matthew Genovese's power-play goal in the third period was the game-winner.
Back in their home barn on Sunday, the Kodiaks tried to reassert themselves, and took an early 2-0 lead. But the Pilots responded with five unanswered goals, including two from Brad Parker.
• The Pilots can close out the series on Monday evening at MSA Arena (7 p.m.). Game 7, if necessary, would be Tuesday in Aldergrove at 8:15 p.m.