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Mission City Outlaws open season with two losses

Mission falls in Abbotsford, loses home opener to Richmond
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Outlaws forward Joshua Mainhout battles for the puck with a Pilots defender during PJHL action on Friday in Abbotsford. (John Morrow/Abbotsford News)

The Mission City Outlaws had a rough start to the 2019-20 Pacific Junior Hockey League regular season schedule over the weekend.

Mission opened the campaign in Abbotsford at the MSA Arena on Friday and trailed 3-0 after 40 minutes, eventually falling 6-1 to the Pilots.

Abbotsford scored twice in the first period and once in the second, before Mission’s Chase Newman made it a two-goal game just 41 seconds into the third. Matias Corazza and Enrico Van Turen drew the assists on Mission’s lone goal. The Pilots replied with three more goals to earn the win.

Mission was outshot 45-26 in the loss, and penalties were also an issue as the Outlaws were shorthanded eight times on Friday, while having the man advantage themselves just four times. Outlaws defenceman Travis Trottier collected 23 penalty minutes, while Dawson Campbell was charged with 16. The Outlaws were assessed a total of 51 minutes on the game. Abbotsford made the Outlaws pay with two power play goals.

Mission goalie Daniel Zuvic, playing against his former Pilots teammates, made 39 saves in the loss.

The Outlaws then moved on to the club’s home opener against the Richmond Sockeyes at the Mission Leisure Centre on Saturday night.

Mission’s Nicholas Thomson opened the scoring at 8:03 of the first period on the power play, with Joshua Romeyn and Justin Hargrave drawing the helpers. Richmond responded with a power play goal of their own in the second period, and then the Sockeyes took over in the third with three goals to pick up a 4-2 win.

Mission’s Blake Clease added a power play goal with 3:22 remaining in the game, with Micheal Nemeth and Trottier picking up the assists.

The Outlaws were again outshot badly, this time by a 40-21 margin. Mission goalie Isaac Elias, who was named the game’s third star, was good between the pipes and made 36 saves in the loss.

The Outlaws returned to action on Wednesday in Aldergrove against the Grizzlies, but results were not available at press time.

Mission’s next home game occurs on Saturday, when the Grandview Steelers come to town. Face-off is set for 6:45 p.m. at the MLC.



Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
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