After being held scoreless for nine periods!, the Squamish Wolf Pack won a matchup against the Abbotsford Pilots at home last Saturday, edging out the Pilots 4-1.
The Wolf Pack opened up the scoring late in the first period with Tadz Brown getting on the board with less than 30 seconds left.
The Pilots tied it up halfway through the second period, but otherwise the Wolf Pack managed to keep up their intensity on both sides of the puck.
The payoff was in the third period, with Cole Nelson of Squamish getting on the board twice and Ross Pattison adding another with 8:42 remaining.
Wolf Pack goalie Graham Hallenbeck turned aside 34 of 35 shots in his best performance this season, but the Wolf Pack still couldn’t convert on a power play.
Unfortunately the Wolf Pack couldn’t win two in a row, losing 6-2 to the Grandview Steelers on Sunday in Burnaby. The Steelers scored five unanswered goals, three of them on the power play, before the Wolf Pack came alive in the third period and scored two goals — including the Wolf Pack’s first power play goal of the season in five penalty-filled games. In all, however, the Wolf Pack managed just 16 shots on net, compared to 55 shots from the Steelers.
The Grandview Steelers answered back one more time with their sixth goal of the game.
The Wolf Pack is still finalizing its roster for the season, but Whistler’s Brandon Combs was still in the mix heading into this weekend’s home game against the Richmond Sockeyes at Brennan Park. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m.
Titus, Rody second in Grouse Grind
The annual Grouse Grind Mountain Run is one of the most physically challenging events in the province, packing 853 metres of climbing into a trail that’s just 2.9 km long. For every three metres you go forward, you gain almost a metre in elevation.
Whistler’s Morgan Titus has finished second in the race the past few years to record-holder Michael Simpson, and his goal was to place first this year. But while he managed to beat Simpson soundly, another strong runner named Sebastian Salas was the man to beat this year and placed first overall in 28 minutes and two seconds. Titus finished 17 seconds back in 28:19, followed by Gavin Hamilton of Calgary in 28:47.
Times were generally about 30 seconds slower this year, mostly because of the heavy rains on Saturday.
Joren Titus, Morgan’s twin brother, also raced and placed 13 th overall — 11 th among pro racers — in 30:48.
Leanne Johnston was the fastest female racer in 31:27, placing 15 th overall. Whistler’s Kristina Rody was 31 st overall land second among women in 34:15.
