Injuries and suspensions wore down the Kerry Park Islanders as they played four games in five days last week, but came away with just two points after dropping a pair against the Westshore Wolves and splitting two games with the Saanich Predators.
“I wasn’t disappointed in our play, for sure,” Islanders head coach Brandon Cox said. “Sunday, I thought we battled hard. We were down to eight forwards and four defencemen. Two more points [on Saturday] will help us lock in that last playoff spot.”
The busy stretch started last Wednesday with a 3-0 loss to the Westshore Wolves at the Q Centre. The Wolves opened the scoring with a powerplay goal in the first period and added two at even strength in the third. Jacob Haydar made 33 saves in the shutout, while Kerry Park goalie Dryden DeMelo stopped 32 of 35 shots.
On Friday, the Isles held a 3-2 lead over the Saanich Predators after two periods at George Pearkes Arena thanks to a pair of goals from defenceman John Ross, but the Preds pulled away in the third to win 5-4. In addition to Ross’s pair, the Isles got a goal and an assist from Reid Fitzpatrick and two assists apiece from Logan Walker and Brady Estabrook. DeMelo made 28 saves as the Isles were outshot 33-25.
Back at Kerry Park Arena on Saturday night, the Isles got back at the Predators with a 4-1 victory. Ross opened the scoring with his third goal in two games, and Tobin Bergman added a powerplay goal before the first period was over. Jackson Egan made it 3-0 with another powerplay goal in the second before the Preds got on the board with an extra-man marker of their own, and Fitzpatrick popped in one more for the Isles. Ross, Bergman and Fitzpatrick all finished with a goal and an assist, and DeMelo made 18 stops as the Isles outshot the Preds 29-19.
Tempers flared late in Saturday’s game with 114 penalty minutes handed out in the third period, including 96 in the final minute of play. Bergman and Jack Strom were each suspended for three games, and Ross and Cox got one game apiece. The Predators also had two players suspended for three games and a player and a coach for one game each.
A short-staffed Kerry Park team took on the Wolves again at home on Sunday, falling 5-3. It took Westshore just 45 seconds to open the scoring, and the Wolves were up 2-0 before Ben Northcott got the Isles on the board in the final minute of the first period. The Wolves went up 3-1 in the third before Carson Strom and Egan scored to tie things up for the Isles. Westshore scored the next two, and held on through a scoreless third period. Captain Matt Baird finished with two assists, and Eric Young made 32 saves as the Isles were outshot 37-28.
“We need to clean up a few things, work on the defensive zone,” Cox said. “Our powerplay has been a lot better lately. We need to get a few guys healthy.”
With six games left in the regular season, the Isles are now fourth in the South Division and 11 points out of a top-three finish and guaranteed playoff berth. They also sit first in the race for two wildcard spots: four points ahead of the Lake Cowichan Kraken and nine ahead of the Port Alberni Bombers. Both the Kraken and Bombers have two games in hand on the Isles.
This will be another busy week for the Isles as they visit Saanich on Friday and Westshore on Saturday, play host to the Kraken on Tuesday, and visit the Wolves again on Wednesday.