The Selkirk College Saints hockey team will be playing for the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League record this weekend as it goes for its 12th win in a row to start the season.
Coincidentally, the Saints play current win-streak record holder the University of Victoria Vikings at the Castlegar Rec Complex Saturday and are coming off a win against the Eastern Washington Eagles on the weekend.
For the first time this season the Selkirk College men’s hockey program found itself trailing at both intermissions, but a third period rally sparked by a timely 5-on-3 penalty kill lifted the Saints to a 5-3 decision over the Eagles.
Former Trail Smoke Eaters captain Clayton McEwan made his Saints debut on Saturday, wearing number three and playing solid defence paired with second-year blueliner Justin Sotkowy.
The game winner came just 53 seconds after Saints Cody Fidgett tied it, as Connor Stephens pounced on a rebound and beat EWU starter Jason Greenwell.
The Eagles took their first of three leads on the night midway through the first period when Ryan Pajimola blasted one past Saints goalie Alex Sirard. Fidgett drew the hosts even minutes later on a power-play, but EWU went ahead once more with 1:54 remaining in the frame when Uriah Machuga capitalized on a Saints turnover and scored from the high slot.
The game remained tight in the second with Trail native Logan Proulx and Machuga trading power-play goals less than two minutes apart, but Fidgett drew the game even on a tap in.
The Saints allowed their visitors few chances for the remainder of the third period, outshooting the Eagles 13-3 before Connor McLaughlin scored into an empty net to put the finishing touches on the win.
The win extended Selkirk’s streak to 11 and maintained the Saints’ tight grip on first place in BCIHL standings.
Selkirk returns to home ice for their final game of 2012 as UVic visits Castlegar on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. faceoff.