The Kerry Park Islanders took a while to get untracked against the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s bottom-feeders in their return from the Christmas break.
The Islanders didn’t score until past the midway mark of the game against the Sooke Stingers Wednesday night at Lake Cowichan, but eventually won 5-2.
“It was a real rusty win, that’s for sure,’’ said Islanders’ coach Jim Ingram.
“It was rusty but we got it over and done with. Their minds turn right off from the game, which is good,’’ he indicated. “Now, we’ve got to fire our minds back up and go at it again.’’
Sooke held the Islanders scoreless until the 11:29 mark of the second period when Kevin Shillito broke the ice. That started a surge of four goals in two and a half minutes.
Brady MacDowell and Shillito, with his second, scored just 16 seconds apart and Jordan Grant rounded out the second-period spree.
Wayne Twan had the Islanders’ final goal in the third period. Sooke’s Jeff Baldry — a Valley product — and James Isaacs connected for goals in the third to break the shutout bid of Kerry Park’s Kiefer Smiley.