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uhh · 08-30-2019, 05:57 PM

Whalers Continue Turnaround With Win Over Militia
TSN.ca Staff

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Vancouver 3 : 2 Montreal

Jan Zacha @StaticShocked assisted on all three of his team's goals, including Bobby Bobcalf's @nubbedindaribs third period game winner, as the Vancouver Whalers defeated the Montreal Militia 3-2 on Monday night in Montreal.

Since snapping a nine-game losing streak two weeks ago, Vancouver has now won four in a row and six of their last eight. The defending champs started the season strong before the losing streak sent them careening to the bottom of the SMJHL standings.

"It was tough a few weeks ago," said Bobcalf after the game. "But we won it all last season, and we have the confidence to get things back on track.

"We rattled off nine consecutive losses. What's to say we can't rattle off nine consecutive wins, too?"

Montreal came into the game off of a three-game road trip. After getting pummeled 5-0 in Detroit, the Militia won their next two games against Kelowna and last season's finalists Anchorage by a combined score of 9-1.

The Militia quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals from Ravyn Tedisko @Darkened_Rose_16 and Joseph Weston @ACapitalChicago. However, Vancouver quickly dampened the home crowd's fervor when Joe Ackroyd @joslaker found the back of the net with a shot through traffic that eluded Mike Hunt @"AtlasHunter".

Near the end of the first period, Montreal went on the powerplay when Victor Toeman @pizzarony was sent to the box for hooking. However, the advantage backfired, as Mikas Bieksa @ontanis scored a back-breaking shorthanded goal with fourteen seconds left in the frame to tie the game at 2-2.

The game turned into a defensive battle from there, with both Hunt and Vancouver goaltender Kasperi Braulin @TheFlash standing tall in the second period. The tight-checking game caused tempers to flare, as Zacha dropped the gloves with Militia rookie Bobby Lane @Rich a little under halfway through the game.

The fight erupted after fellow rookie Zeno Miniti @BigZ47 laid a big hit on Bobcalf. As Zacha pursued Miniti up the ice, Lane stepped in and both dropped the gloves.

"It's not a huge part of my game normally," said Lane. "I saw him zeroing in on [Miniti], and then the adreanaline just kind of kicked in.

"He's a big dude. It was a tough fight," said Lane of the 6'3", 215 pound Zacha.

All game long, Vancouver looked to generate chances off of rebounds, and it paid off in the third period when Jon Forty-One's @C9Van shot ricocheted off of Hunt's pad and right into the slot to Bobcalf, who buried the rebound without mistake to give Vancouver the lead with under 12 minutes to go in the game.

Montreal would pull the goaltender late in the game to try and even the score, but Braulin stood tall as Vancouver held off the rally.

Vancouver will host the Anaheim Outlaws on Wednesday night as they look to extend their winning streak to five games and climb back up the standings. Montreal will welcome Anchorage to town tomorrow night, finishing off a back-to-back against last season's finalists.

Three Stars
1 - Bobby Bobcalf Whalers