The Grandview Steelers are glad to find a warmer, more forgiving February on the calendar.
After a rough 3-7-1 run through January, the Pacific Junior B Hockey League club launched the last few weeks of the season with a strong showing, winning twice.
The Steelers knocked off Shaw Conference-leading North Vancouver 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, then followed that by edging Ridge Meadows 2-1 on Sunday.
"I think we were really pumped to play this weekend," said coach Aldo Bruno, who was glad to put January behind him. "The focus and intensity was where it needed to be. We definitely played well (in North Van) and everyone did their part."
Timothy Chow supplied the heroics in North Vancouver, cashing in a powerplay marker at 4:55 of the first extra period. It was Chow’s third point of the game and 14th of the season.
Spencer Kozlowski turned back 36 shots, including all three in overtime, wihle Grandview pelted the Wolf Pack's Trevor Withers with 47 shots.
Less than a day later, Jake Holland lifted a huge monkey off his back when he deposited his first goal with Grandview, late in the third period, to defeat his former Ridge Meadows teammates.
Holland, acquired a month ago to fortify the club's offence, pocketed his 17th of the season to break the 1-1 tie. At the other end, Cole MacInnes matched Kozlowski's stellar start with a sharp performance between the Grandview pipes.
"(Holland) was really pumped to get that one. You could see he was pushing himself and to get it like that was a big one for him and us," said Bruno. "MacInnes made some big saves for us late in the game to lock it up."
The club, which sits second in the Shaw Conference at 23-8-2-2, will close out the regular season with games Friday in Ridge Meadows and Sunday, 4 p.m. at the Burnaby Winter Club against third-place Richmond. Grandview now holds a four-point lead on Richmond for second place.
