In a battle that was touch and go at times, the Grandview Steelers shook off their rival and skated off with their 10th win of the Pacific Junior B Hockey League season.
The Steelers exploded for three unanswered goals to break a 4-4 tie and best the Mission City Outlaws 7-4 on Sunday, thanks to Joseph Santalucia’s first goal of the season.
Santalucia, a Burnaby native, scored with 6:34 left in the third, and was followed with goals by Nico Bruno and Bryson Wong to end a game which saw Mission twice rally to tie.
Grandview led 2-0 after 20 minutes, but the visitors scored twice in the second period to make it a game. While Christian Bettoil, with his eighth of the year, restored the Steelers’ lead, the Outlaws kept in step and eventually tied it 4-4 with under eight minutes left in the third.
That’s when the home team found a third gear. Bruno finished with two goals, while Braeden Gurney Bettoil and Wong each scored once and set up another. Jacob Siebenga added the other marker.
Kicking out 24 shots for the win was Matteo Paler-Chow.
The game got rowdy in the third, with both teams tagged for 68 penalty minutes.
Grandview visits Ridge Meadows on Friday, before returning home to play Aldergrove on Sunday, 4 p.m.
