The Grandview Steelers are hoping to finish the Pacific Junior Hockey League 2014 schedule with a flourish.
Following an up-and-down first half to the junior B hockey season, Grandview made it back to .500 following points in its last four games, including a 4-2 win over Port Moody on Dec. 6 and a 4-1 victory at home over the Delta Ice Hawks.
“We’ve been so up and down with the young kids we have. It’s a learning thing,” said Grandview head coach Aldo Bruno. “It’s been a little bit of a yo-yo.”
The Steelers could conceivably extend their winning streak to four games, with a pair of upcoming games against Mission on Saturday and back home Sunday against Ridge Meadows.
The following week, Grandview takes on two of the top league clubs – Langley and Richmond – two teams the Steelers have stolen points from in recent weeks.
Earlier in the week, Grandview stole a point from the Langley Knights following a 5-4 double-overtime loss at the George Preston centre.
With more than a dozen rookies in the lineup, Bruno is more than happy with the consistent effort put out by the first years.
After losing four players to junior A to begin the season, Grandview is also getting more production from its veteran players and it’s showing in the results, said Bruno.
Rookies Ian Prevost and goalie Nicholas Anderson were both named stars in the win over Delta at the Burnaby Winter Club.
Prevost picked up a couple of goals in the club’s 12th win, while Anderson made 24 saves in goal.
In Port Moody, first-year Nico Bruno tallied the game-winning goal early in the middle period.
First star Jordan Hall, a fourth-year forward, set up both Mitchell Steinke and Bruno for second-period tallies in the win over the Panthers.
Fifth-year forward Matteo Belmonte is also finding his stride, tallying into the empty net to ice the win with his fifth point in his last six games after mustering just one point prior to mid-November.
“We have to play our game and get it into our heads that we can beat (the best),” said Bruno.
Grandview also received the services of former Northwest Giants skater Quinn Thompson, who was released by Victoria of the B.C. Junior Hockey League.
The Steelers will host the Ridge Meadows Flames at the Burnaby Winter Club on Sunday at 4 p.m.
