VS. 
The Sockeyes opened the 2013 Keystone Cup with a big 5-3 win over the tough Alberta representative from the Heritage Junior Hockey League, the Okotoks Bisons. Rudi Thorsteinson, Matt Wagner and Jeremy Hamaguchi led the way with three goals and four assists between the three on them.
The Richmond Sockeyes came into the 2013 Keystone Cup
tournament off the shortest rest.The Richmond Sockeyes came into the 2013 Keystone Cup
tournament off the shortest rest. It showed early in the game as they had a hard time getting going on the very small ice surface in St. Malo, Manitoba. Around the five minute mark the offence got going as Matthew Wagner found an open Rudi Thorsteinson to open the scoring on a nice wrist shot. Ten minutes later after a couple of missed opportunities on the power play the Richmond Sockeyes would get on the board with Wagner getting another assist feeding the puck to a streaking Liam Lawson and he fired the puck in along the right wing. before the period was out the Okotoks Bisons would finally get on the board with 4:04 left in the third period. Jeremy Smith jammed at the puck and squeaked it inbetween the post and Kootenay Alder to end the period at 2-1 Sockeyes.
The Second period was not the best for Richmond as they spent six minutes of it on the penalty kill. The Bisons captain Chase Fallis, who had a great game, got on the board with a nice tip-in from inside the slot. Dillon Loomer got the puck to Dylon Griep and he wired a shot towards the goals and Fallis tipped it behind Alder to tie the game at two goals a piece. Richmond was on its heels a bit in this period until some hard work by Jake Roder down deep would lead to another Sockeyes goal, controlling the puck down low Roder got the puck to Thorsteinson who finally found Hamaguchi alone in front and he buried it to regain the one goal lead heading into the third period. After two periods the Richmond Sockeyes led 3-2 and outshot the Bisons 22-17. \
A strange third period got started off on the wrong foot for Richmond as just 52 seconds into the period another goal off a deflection tied the game for Okotoks, again off the stick of their captain Chase Fallis. Before the announcer even had time to say who scored the Sockeyes regained the lead, this time it was Hamaguchi again scoring on the breakaway with a solid backhand for the 4-3 lead.
With about 11 minutes to go, a big hit in the corner led to a pane of glass coming out and causing a significant 10 minute delay, but both benches were trying to work out their game. A couple late penalties opened up the offensive zone for the Bisons and they got a number of good chances. Including a backhand that all the Bison players thought was in but Kootenay Alder made the stop.
With the goalie pulled and the Sockeyes pressing a nice play by the sockeyes forward Danton Heinen saw him get a great scoring opportunity but their defenceman batted the puck down out of mid air as it was heading to the net. The Bisons got it back in Richmonds zone but it wasnt enough after a clearing attempt gave Heinen the puck in the neutral zone and he potted the puck into the empty net to give the Sockeyes the 5-3 win in St. Malo.
Jeremy Hamaguchi was named the eventual player of the game for his two goals and game winner. on the other side the Okotoks Bisons Chase Fallis was player of the game with two goals as well. Both goalies had to be strong in net, Bisons goalie Alex Bilton stopped 26 of 30 in the loss and Kootenay Alder stopped 23 of 26 in the win.
Richmond will now play the St. Malo Warriors and Saskatoon Royals tomorrow at 9:45 and 3:15 Pacific time respectively. Elsewhere today the Saskatoon Royals(PJHL, Saskatchewan) defeated the Thunder Bay Northern Hawks(TBJBHL, Ontario) 6-2 and the Peguis Juniors(KJHL, Manitoba) defeated the hometown St. Malo Warriors(KJHL, Host, Manitoba) 10-4.
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