The Pacific Junior Hockey League record books will have to wait one more week to be completely re-written by Baylee Wright of the Abbotsford Pilots.
The team captain tied a 41-year old record on Friday night at the MSA Arena, ending the night at 121 points in the club’s 4-2 win over the Mission City Outlaws.
Wright collected three points in the win, and in the process tied the all-time league scoring record set by Brent O’Connor in the 1977-78 season.
He helped lead the charge for the Pilots in the second period of Friday’s game, as the team exploded for four goals. Wright had several opportunities to set the new record in the third period, but came up empty.
He’ll have a chance to set the new mark for points in one season on Feb. 8, when the Port Moody Panthers come to Abbotsford.
With this assist Baylee Wright now ties the PJHL single-season point record! pic.twitter.com/OTXVXKN0SW
— Abbotsford Pilots (@AbbyPilots) February 2, 2019
Mission scored the lone goal of the first period, as Griffin Abbott gave the visitors the 1-0 advantage after 20 minutes. Wright tied the game up early into the second, but Mission’s Tristan Takats made it 2-1 shortly thereafter. Jared Pikethly tied the game at two with a power play goal, and then Jacob De Waal scored a pair of power play goals to put Abbotsford up 4-2.
Keaton Dyck picked up the win in goal for the Pilots, his 21st victory on the season.
The Pilots record now sits at 26-14-1-1, and they have nearly wrapped up first place in the Harold Brittain conference. However, with the PJHL’s new playoff format a division title doesn’t mean a higher seed. The Pilots will finish fourth overall, and will take on either the Langley Trappers or the Grandview Steelers in round one of the playoffs.
Abbotsford hosts the Panthers on Feb. 8, and then closes off the season taking on the Outlaws in Mission.
For more on the team, visit abbotsfordpilots.com.