OK Tire is pumped as it makes a run for the top spot in Trail Commercial Hockey League.
The Tire won a pair of games last week to gain some traction on league-leading Re/Max, as the realtors came out flat, falling 5-2 to Allstar Maintenance Sunday.
After an 8-5 victory over Allstar Thursday, the Tire kept rolling as it defeated Firebird 4-3 Sunday to climb within three points of Re/Max, with an all-important two games in hand.
Troy Palmer took a sweet pass from Mike Fudge and popped what proved to be the winner with 4:06 to go in the third period. The goal made the score 4-2, but Firebird’s normally taciturn defenceman Mike Boisvert blasted one by Tire goalie Rocky Dickson with just 2:27 to play to cut the lead to one.
Despite a too-many-men penalty to the Tire with just 1:17 to play, Dickson shut the door and Firebird was unable to obtain the equalizer.
Fudge started the scoring when he converted a set up from Jeff Sidey and Palmer at 6:41 of the first.
The electrifying Shaun Venturini then gave the Tire a 2-0 lead, before Eric Hill and Travis Drake replied early in the second to tie it at 2-2. Sidey would give the Tire a 3-2 lead on a nice feed from Palmer who would ice it in the third.
Palmer and Sidy each collected a goal and two assists, while Boisvert and Hill counted three points a piece for Firebird.
In the Allstar victory over Re/Max, Ryan Jenner scored the winning goal at 11:21 of the second period, taking a pass from Mark Hutchinson and beating Chris McIsaac in the Re/Max goal.
Allstar jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Jim Maniago and Jenner, before Re/Max got on the board when a Graham Proulx blast narrowed the lead to one. But Jenner’s next goal iced it for the Allstars and a pair of goals from Hutchinson made the score 5-1 before the end of the second frame. A late third-period goal by Dallas Stanton completed the scoring.
In other TCHL action Thursday the Arlington crawled out of the cellar with a 3-0 shutout of Firebird. Jeremy Robinson had a goal and two assists, while Eric Volpatti was brilliant between the pipes, stymieing the Firebird time and again for the shutout.
TCHL continues Thursday with Firebird facing Re/Max at 7:15 p.m. and Arlington taking on the Tire at 8:30 p.m.