The Chilton Regional Arena in Port McNeill was packed to the brim on Thursday night (March 20) when the North Island Impact took to the ice at 7:30 p.m. for their second game of the day during the U18 A BC Provincial Championships.
The Impact had a tough challenge ahead of them against a fast skating team from Williams Lake, and they were also coming off a frustrating 2-0 loss earlier in the day to the Trail Wildcats.
After the opening ceremony, which featured speeches from organizers and local dignitaries, Angela Miner singing O Canada, and Port McNeill mayor James Furney performing a ceremonial puck drop, the game quickly got underway with the Impact getting out to a 2-0 lead by the second period.
Williams Lake managed to answer back with two goals of their own to tie things up, but the Impact scored again to take the lead back 3-2 going into the third period.
Williams Lake came out of the dressing room fired up and managed to score early in the third to tie it the score up once again, and that's how the game would stay for most of the period until the Impact managed to find the back of the net with 4:43 left on the clock, and then Port Alice's Bella Stewart broke through the defence and deked around the Williams Lake goaltender to ice the game 5-3.
The Impact will be back in action Friday night at 7:30 p.m. against Richmond and then again Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. against North West District.
