Perhaps the only reason the North Delta Devils aren’t in first place is the Zamboni at the Burnaby Winter Club.

A mechanical failure on the ice-resurfacing machine Sunday afternoon thawed a portion of the playing surface, forcing officials to cancel the Pacific International Junior Hockey League game before the first puck was dropped.

And after the Devils defeated the Grandview Steelers 6-3 Saturday night at the Sungod Arena, a chance to complete a sweep of their Tom Shaw Conference rivals was lost, leaving the Devils two points back of the Richmond Sockeyes in the division standings.

A win Sunday could have extended North Delta’s win streak to five games after a season-opening loss in Ladner to the Delta Ice Hawks. And while head coach Ron Johnson says the team’s 4-1 (won-lost) record is deserved, it could even be better.

“We shouldn’t have lost that first game,” said Johnson, who guided the Devils to a second place finish last season with a 32-15-1 (won-lost-overtime loss) record. “We have the horsepower this year, we’re a lot better this year than last.”

The Devils are younger and quicker than a year ago, and Johnson likes the work ethic of the group which doubled the Steelers Saturday at Sungod.

Rookies Bryan Son and 16-year-old Mason Malkowich tallied against Grandview, with first-year forwards Stephen Saretsky and Keenan Webb collecting two assists each.

Trevor Kang, Julius Ho, Mike Wilson and Jamie Fowler also scored for the home team, which had a 39-33 edge in shots on goal.

“Our group of forwards have played above expectations,” said Johnson. “But we’re young, so we have to learn a few things.”

With eight forwards in their first season of Junior B hockey, the group received a boost when 19-year-old Michael Nardi joined the club from the Junior A Merritt Centennials. Nardi, who tallied 10 times in the BC Hockey League splitting last season between Merritt and the Prince George Spruce Kings, already as a goal and two assists in just two games in a Devils uniform.

Rookie goaltender Alex Wind, 18, collected his third win of the season in four starts, making 30 saves.

“Our goaltending has been solid so far,” said Johnson. “Wind is a good puckstopper. He’s a rookie, and he has some issues with puck handling. But he’s been solid for us.

“(Backup goalie Matthew) Walker has also played well. He was supposed to play Sunday, so he’ll start next Saturday.”

The Devils will play just once this week, hosting the Ice Hawks in a rematch of the season-opening game, the only loss of the season for North Delta. Face-off is at 7 p.m. at the Sungod Arena.