Hockey Game 3 – Team BC vs Team Ontario

By Tania Kenny, Team BC Mission Staff

Team BC opened strong in the game against Team Ontario Tuesday evening.  The game was fast paced and high scoring.  Forward Chase Stevenson (West Kelowna) was the first to put them on the board when he played the puck from the corner and it went off the goaltender and in.  It was the first time all tournament that Team Ontario had been trailing.  It would last for less than eight minutes as Team Ontario jumped on a rebound in front of the net on a power play to tie the game.  With 2:26 remaining in the first, Team Ontario capitalized on a two on one and buried it to take a 2-1 lead.

In the second, Team BC’s Jordan Bellerive (North Vancouver) tied the game on a five on three with a shot through the five-hole.  Team BC had a number of strong scoring plays in the ensuing power play but couldn’t put it away.  At the midway point of the second, Team Ontario regained their lead with a snipe from inside the circles.  At the end of the second, though Team BC was outshooting Team Ontario, the score remained 3-2.

Team Ontario came out strong in the third period, scoring just 30 seconds in and notching another 3:17 into the period to make the score 4-2.  Team BC wouldn’t back down and six minutes into the period, off an offensive zone face-off net drive, James Malm (Langley) beat Team Ontario goaltender Brendan Bonello top shelf.  Assists went to Jordan Sandhu (Richmond) and Brendan Semchuk (Kamloops). 

Following a hitting from behind penalty on Conner McDonald, Team BC forward Justin Almeida (Kitimat) made a fast break and tried to beat the defenseman wide on a two on one.  He passed to a breaking Bellerive who buried it to bring the score within one.

Team Ontario replied with a goal of their own 15 seconds later to secure a two-goal lead, which they held onto for the remainder of the game.  Final score was 6-4 and shots 40 to 39 for Team Ontario.

Team BC Director of Operations, Mitch Pinsky, had the following to say about the game, “Team BC coaching staff felt the team took some huge steps forward against a very good Team Ontario.  We are looking forward to a good day of preparation in anticipation of our quarter final tomorrow night against Quebec.”

See Canada Games live streaming at www.canadagamestv.ca and follow live updates on Twitter from @GoTeamBC with the hashtag #TBCHockey.