Alessio Cusano
In another Saturday night thriller at Harry Jerome the North Vancouver Wolf Pack picked up their second win of the young season in a 5-4 win over the Aldergrove Kodiaks. This is not only a big win for the team but one they had to grind and fight for all 60 minutes to get the two points. The keys to this win were the Wolf Pack playing a great game and not giving up until the end and star performances from some key players.
The Wolf Pack started the game off hot, getting multiple shots on goal on the Kodiak’s goalie in the opening minutes. In those opening minutes, they would dominate the shots on goal tally, and a goal felt close. Unfortunately, the Kodiaks took the lead in the first period and held onto it until Carter Dickson’s first Wolf Pack goal came at 3:13 of the second. It was a much-needed equaliser for the Pack who seemed to have a revival after the goal. The Kodiaks did get two goals past by the end of the second and took the 3-1 lead. At this point a comeback much like the Wolf Pack’s first win of the season was needed. That comeback was started by Matthew Carniel’s second goal of the season. The Real Deal finished off a great team goal with a one-timer to cut the lead to one. Minutes later North Van was back on the attack looking for that game-tying goal, and who else to get it than JJ Pickell?
The Captain buried it in the back of the net for his much-deserved first goal of the season and fired himself and the team up as the Wolf Pack were back in this game. The intensity stayed from the Wolf Pack until Aldergrove took the lead back with just under nine minutes to go. In the last five minutes when the game’s best thrive, JJ Pickell answered the call. The Calgary-born Captain evened the game with his second goal of the night. But he was not done yet. After a huge penalty shot save from teammate Brayden Burrows, Pickell pulled another one out of the hat to give the Wolf Pack the lead and completed his hat trick.
“Good to get that goal to get the game back going,” Carter Dickson explained. It was important for him to get his first goal and for the team to get a win. “To do it in front of the big crowd and attract them back was great,” Dickson added. The Abbotsford boy also mentioned how amazing the pregame barbecue celebrating North Vancouver minor hockey made the win even more special.
The Wolf Pack are back at home on Saturday, September 30th against the Delta Ice Hawks.
