Heer’s Two Goals and Peregrym’s Perfect Relief Performance Spark U18 Canadians’ Comeback

Neven Heer started and completed the U18 AAA Greater Vancouver Canadians’ comeback, and Alan Peregrym stopped all 19 shots in a flawless relief appearance, as GVC rallied for a 5-5 tie on Friday against the high-scoring Vancouver NE Chiefs at the Richmond Olympic Oval.

Nishaan Gill scored in the first period to tie the game 1-1, but the Chiefs took a 5-1 lead with 7:56 left in the second. 

After Neven Heer scored with 5:51 left in the second to cut the deficit to 5-2, starting goalie Liam Leslie was forced to leave the game with 3:30 remaining in the period due to an injury.

Peregrym then stepped in to replace Leslie, and GVC rallied for three more goals in the third, with Kaden Meyer scoring 4:22 into the frame to make it 5-3. Aidan Yao scored on the power play two minutes later, and Heer tied the game with 10:47 left.

Although the Canadians were penalized with 5:56 left in regulation, Peregrym didn’t allow a goal, stopping all 12 shots in the period. Then with GVC again penalized with 2:38 left in OT, Peregrym again denied the Chiefs, as the game finished in a 5-5 tie. 

Peregrym, who didn’t allow a goal, finished with 19 saves, including four in the OT period. Leslie stopped 29 of 34 shots before the injury, as the Chiefs outshot the Canadians 53-34 for the game.

Meyer, meanwhile, finished with a goal and three assists. The GVC blueliner would be named the BCEHL’s U18 Defender of the Month for January. 

Through 31 games this season, the Canadians are 10-15-4-2, in seventh place with 26 points. Meyer leads the club with 35 assists and 45 points, while Luca Martyniuk has a team-best 16 goals. In goal, Peregrym’s scoreless performance on Friday lowered his goals-against average to 2.91. 

The U18 Canadians have five games remaining in the regular season, including two in a showcase weekend on Feb. 8-9, against the Valley West Giants (Saturady, 9 a.m.) and the Chiefs (Sunday, 6:45 p.m.).