Mark the season opener as a success.
The New Westminster junior A Salmonbellies launched the 2018 B.C. junior A season with a solid 10-7 victory over the Burnaby Lakers on Monday.
Solid in the way a short-staffed lineup pulled together, fought back a feisty opponent and chalked up a win in the early days of the season.
While New West never trailed, the Lakers proved to be a good test as the two teams traded goals in the first period before the ’Bellies staked out a three-goal advantage, off powerplay markers by Erik Maas and Carter Dickson two minutes apart, midway through the second period.
Burnaby, absent seven starters to begin the new year, shook off that margin and pulled even on a run of their own.
Mason Pomeroy’s even-strength tally four minutes into the third period made it a whole new ball game – at least for a moment.
That’s when first-year coach Rich Catton’s squad caught fire once more, popping in three extra-man markers in a span of 1:35. Maas counted two of those and would cap the game with his fifth after the Lakers added a goal.
Will Malcom joined Maas with a six-point night, scoring once and setting up five others, and Dickson finished with two goals. Also scoring were Drew Andre and Dalton Lupul.
Netminder Erik Kratz turned aside 31 saves to anchor the victory.
New West visits Langley (tonight) and Nanaimo (Saturday) before hosting its first game of the season on Tuesday, 8 p.m. against Delta.
