Bellie report – vs. Coquitlam Adanacs – July 26th, 2012

If the Bellies have been aiming to keep fans on the edge of their seats, they’ve certainly been successful this season and right up until the end! Last night’s 9-6 win over the Coquitlam Adanacs was hard fought and come from behind, but with the possibility of not seeing the post-season, fans and players alike will take the victory any way they can!
Things didn’t look good for the Bellies after twenty minutes of play. Down 3-0 and outshot 20-15, Queen’s Park Arena was in a sombre state. A fourth Adanac goal just seven seconds into the second period didn’t help.
Finally, just after the two minute mark, a short-handed goal from Alex Gajic got things rolling for the Bellies and that was when the floodgates opened. With another goal from Jordan McBride and three from Kevin Crowley before the period finished, the Bellies outscored the Adanacs 5-3, going to the dressing room down by just one goal at the second intermission.

The third period was all Bellies as Tyler Richards shut the Adanacs out for its duration. A second goal from Alex Gajic, a fourth from Kevin Crowley and singles from Ilija Gajic and Ian Hawksbee finished off the scoring and kept the Bellies’ play-off hopes alive.

Richards made 37 saves on the night while the Bellies hit Adanac goaltender Nick Rose with 46 shots throughout sixty minutes of play.

Kevin Crowley was named the WLA’s first star of the game for his six point performance while Tyler Richards earned the title of second star.

The Bellies have one more game left in the season and depending on this weekend’s results around the league, they may need a win to save their season and avoid missing the play-offs for the first time since 2004. Come out to Planet Ice in Maple Ridge on Sunday night when the Bellies take on the Burrards. Game time is 6:45 and tickets are available at the door.

If we’ve learned anything, folks it’s never count the Bellies out or, as President and GM, Dan Richardson tweeted after the game, “Don’t poke the bear.”