The North Island Eagles atom development team got off to its traditional fast start Saturday in Comox.
This time, the atoms never let up.
The Eagles scored the first four goals of the game and went on to a 7-3 Vancouver Island Hockey League victory over host Comox.
"You could tell watching our team warm up, they were ready for this one," atom coach Marty Gage said. "It was typical for our team to jump out to a three- or four-goal lead. The difference Saturday was the fact we survived the 'dreaded' second period, as one of the kids pronounced."
The Eagles got their goals from seven different players, and goalies Michael McLaughlin and Avary Miller shared duties in net.
Luke Gage, Clayton Bono, Mathew Saunders and Liem Wadhams punched home first-period goals to start the game. After the Chiefs got one score late in the period, the teams played a scoreless second.
The Eagles then tacked on three more goals in the third while allowing just two to Comox.
"Our aggressive forecheck, hard back check, stellar defensive play and great goaltending was everything we, as coaches, expect to see," Marty Gage said. "We got offensive production from all three lines and, if it wasn't for their goaltending in the third, we probably would've had two or three more."