Sockeyes “Cinderella” Season Comes Up Short

Returning to home ice on St. Patrick’s Day with the series tied at three proved lucky given the solid fan base each team brought to the rink each cheering their respective teams to see who would take a 3-2 series lead.

The game started with an aggressive tempo that would see the Sockeyes take the early lead with David Yoon (8th) getting a stretch pass from Michael MacIntyre and Roman Duke giving them a 1-0 lead after twenty minutes.

To no real surprise Richmond continues to dominate, leading in the shot department by a 14-8 margin with both Trapper’s Beckham Brossard and Sockeyes Haden Heide forced to make some key saves.

The second started with the Sockeyes Captain Teo Lin (8th) put them up by a 2-0 lead with an explosive shot from the left side with Brody Lindal and David Yoon heading to the dressing room after forty minutes.

One would assume that the longer the series is extended it would become far more aggressive which is only an assumption but this game saw each team play far more disciplined with each team trading six minors.

The third saw more of an aggressive fast paced play that allowed the Sockeyes to get their third of the game at 4:24 with William Huo (3rd) set up from David Yoon and Teo Lin giving them a 3-2 series lead.

Overall the series proved to be a home and home series with each team winning on their home ice which in part was due to their solid fan base showing their support which was like having an extra player in the line-up.

To no surprise the Sockeyes continued to dominate in the shot department, outshooting the Trappers by a 54-27 through sixty minutes, grabbing all three stars. 

Teo Lin (1G/1A) was named first star, David Yoon (1G/2A) second star and Haden Heide third star for his 27 save performance.

The series now switches to the George Preston Arena formerly the Langley Civic Centre for game six that had more pressure put on the Trappers in hopes of extending the series in a return match to the “Fish Tank.”

The Trappers would open the scoring in the first with Finlay Johnson putting them up by 1-0 that allowed them to take the lead to the dressing room after twenty minutes holding a narrow 9-8 lead in shots.

Clearly the pressure was on the home squad but the Sockeyes would reply scoring a pair in the second with Brody Lindal (1st) set up from Beaudy Beaudin and Dylan Nazareth while dominating on the power play.

They managed to get their second of the game at 11:14 that saw Jonathan Zhang (1st) take a cross-ice pass from Bryce Strandt and Dylan Nazareth giving them a controlling lead after forty minutes doubling up in the shot department on the Trappers by 10-5.

Entering the third all the pressure was on the Trappers who were in need of a win to extend the series forcing a game seven in the series in a period that would be dominated by the home team.

To the “shock” as some fans told us Langley managed three unanswered goals which all came late in the third with Avraham Brown (1st) getting the tying goal at 17:59 followed by the go-ahead goal 58 seconds later putting all pressure on the visiting Sockeyes.

With the clock against them the Sockeyes pulled Haden Heide for the extra attacker who had several chances only to be turned aside, setting up a monumental game seven in the Tom Shaw Conference finals.

The Trappers grabbed all three stars with Beckham Brossard (28 SA/26SV) selected first star, Dalton Toma (1G/0A) and Avraham Brown (1G/0A) named third star.

With the home and home series returning to the “Fish Tank” for game seven it would be hard pressed to say who the pressure was on knowing that it had to be on the first place Sockeyes given their regular season record sitting 47 points ahead of the sixth place Trappers.

Say what you will in a game seven there is pressure on everyone from players to the coaching staff in game preparation as well as the game on-ice officials calling the game knowing that the outcome of calls could possibly affect the outset.

Game seven wasn’t just about preparation but also for the fans to arrive who were hard pressed to find a parking spot given the sell-out crowd of over 800 who filled the rink for game seven cheering their respective team.

There would be no overall change to the roster especially in goal for each team knowing that the Trappers would utilize Beckham Brossard while Haden Heide would start between the pipes for the Sockeyes.

Say what you will but given the way the rules of the game have changed one wrong placement of the stick could result in the officials being forced to call a minor giving the opposition a PP chance which was the case for the first Trappers goal.

Playing on the PP it was Finlay Johnston (6th) who opened the scoring at 15:40 having lots of open ice getting set up from O’Brien and Grabinski taking a 1-0 lead to the dressing room after 20 minutes which seemed to be a confidence builder for the Trappers.

Ironically it was the Trappers who capitalized on another PP goal at 6:13 with Melanson adding to the confidence they had going only to have the Sockeyes Beaudy Beaudin (4th) get the Sockeyes on the board also on the PP at 10:5.

Langley replied with their third of the game at 15:37 with Johnston getting his second of the game allowing the visiting Trappers to maintain the two goal spread.

The second was fast paced and ended with the Sockeyes continuing to dominate in the shot department, outshooting the Trappers by a 17-7 margin and 27-15 after two periods.

 The third saw the Trappers run into penalty trouble being assessed three setting up a PP goal from Sockeyes Beaudy Beaudin (5th) which was all they could manage in a series that saw the Trappers pull out a 4-3 series lead advancing to the Tom Shaw Conference finals.

Regardless of the loss overall the season was a huge success for the Sockeyes who underwent changes in the off-season bringing in Scott Hewson coached the past 3 seasons with the  North Shore Warriors U18 in the CSSHL and was named the Tom Shaw Conference Coach of the Year.

Thanks to the numerous volunteers who support the Sockeyes again this season; but mostly “THANKS” to fans who continue to support the Richmond Sockeyes.

Next up we’ll let you know about the “YEAR END BANQUET”