Friday, February 27, 2015

Game 5: Crawford, Russell rise Sockeyes above Steelers

It was a crucial Game 5 Thursday night at Minoru Arena between the Richmond Sockeyes and the Grandview Steelers. Having dropped their first two playoff games at home, the Sockeyes hoped for a different fate in front of their home crowd Thursday, looking to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

It was a better start for the Sockeyes, as they finally managed to get a lead at home when Tyler Andrews scored on the power-play. Cole MacInnes made two pad saves before Andrews got the third try up and over MacInnes for the goal.

Kurt Russell started for Richmond, coming off back-to-back shutouts, including a 3-0 victory Wednesday night. The shutout streak ended early as just after Andrews’ opening goal, Tim Chow beat Russell to knot the game at one.

Daniel Oakley broke the tie five minutes into the 2nd, when he took the puck to the slot and rifled a shot far-side on MacInnes.

Sockeyes looked poised to double their lead, with multiple close calls in the Steelers crease.

It was eventually Grandview who tied it up in the 3rd when Adam Rota fed the puck in front to Austin Campeau, who one-timed an in-tight shot past Russell.

The score was only tied for a moment, as a mad scramble in front of MacInnes was poked home by Brodie Crawford, who was wearing a cage after taking a high stick in Game 2.

Sockeyes did well to shut down the Grandview offense until Troy Sutherland’s deflected shot at the empty net fluttered in.

Jordan Andrews had a notably strong game defensively, while his brother Tyler looked electrifying in the offensive end for Richmond. Jacob Wozney seemed impossible to knock off the puck and Russell looked completely dialed in to this game.

The Sockeyes took this one 4-2 the final. They now have won three straight and lead the series 3-2. Game 6 goes on Sunday, with a potential Game 7 taking place Monday at Minoru.

  • Bailey Meadows

Friday, February 20, 2015

Game 1: Chow, Steelers Stun Sockeyes

It was a rematch from last year’s first round playoff matchup for the Richmond Sockeyes. The Grandview Steelers visited Minoru Arena for the first playoff game of the year.

Sockeyes were without league-leading scorer Troy Kaczynski, who was injured in the final regular season game against the Port Moody Panthers.

The Sockeyes finished the regular season with a 4-1-1 record against the Steelers, though the Steelers took the last meeting in a 2-1 OT win. Richmond only lost three games at home all season, and won all their home games against Grandview.

The Steelers struck early, when a defensive lapse in front of Kurt Russell allowed Tim Chow to slide one into the Sockeyes goal.

The Sockeyes had the first penalty of the game, but were rewarded with three penalties in the final ten minutes of the 1st. The first two were unsuccessful, but Daniel Oakley’s wrist shot at the face-off dot beat Cole MacInnes to knot the game up at one before the period expired.

Matthew Bissett gave Richmond the lead just 30 seconds into the middle frame. He capitalized on a bounce off Lucas Mercer’s skate and snapped one post-and-in.

It was a physical affair throughout. Jake Wozney and Alex Rasovic were mixing it up in the 1st period, and each received 10-minute misconducts. Captains Jordan Andrews and Michael Wilmms exchanged pleasantries later and got separated by the refs before each sitting for two.

The Steelers had a great chance to tie the game late in the second but Sockeyes’ captain Jordan Andrews did well to stretch out and break up the play.

The Steelers would not be denied before period’s end. After Sockeyes failed to clear the zone, Pete Matthews took a wrist shot that beat Russell blocker side.

It became a one-period game heading into the third tied up at two.

On a delayed penalty, the Steelers took the lead early in the final frame. Chow slid one through the wickets of Russell for his second goal of the game.

Mac Colasimone was looking to tie it up but his blistering wrist shot rung off the crossbar and stayed out.

Sockeyes pushed to tie late, but Chow stole the puck in the neutral zone and flung it into the empty net for the hat-trick.

Sockeyes fall 4-2 to the Grandview Steelers, next game is Saturday, 5:45pm at Minoru Arena.

- Bailey Meadows

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Kaczynski, Colasimone lead Sockeyes over Panthers

The Sockeyes hosted the lowly Port Moody Panthers on Thursday, looking to get two points closer to the PJHL lead. The North Van Wolf Pack hold the league-lead, up six points on the Sockeyes, though Richmond does have a game in hand.

Good news on the injured list as Mac Colasimone returned from injury in this game. Troy Kaczynski was also returning from a two-game suspension. Those two rejoined Tyler Paterson on the Sockeyes’ top line.

It was a strong defensive game for both sides, limiting a large portion of shots from both teams to the outside.

Sockeyes controlled play for much of the first period, but it was the Panthers who struck first. Off a face-off, Evan Gain’s wrist shot snuck past an unsuspecting Nathan Alalouf.

Troy Sutherland evened the score in the second period on a low shot that went through a screen of bodies past Spencer Kozlowski.

Knotted up at one after 40 minutes, the game was looking for a difference-maker in the final period. Richmond’s top line answered the call as a breakaway pass from Colasimone hit the tape of Kaczynski, whose wrist shot squeaked past Kozlowski.

Kaczynski notched another goal minutes later as he undressed a defender before rippling the mesh for his 40th goal of the season.

The top line put an exclamation point on a spectacular period in the final minute when Kaczynski deked through the Panthers defense before dishing off to Colasimone for a tap-in.

Alalouf made 27 saves as the Sockeyes defeated the Panthers, 4-2.

North Van comes to town next Thursday in a battle of the top dogs.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Shorthanded Sockeyes splash past Flames

It was a battle of the best and worst of their respective conferences when the Sockeyes hosted the Ridge Meadows Flames.

It was a short bench for both teams; the Flames had three players out to suspension. The Sockeyes were worse for wear as they had to play without three of their most potent goal scorers. Quinton Blois and Mac Colasimone were both out for injuries, while Troy Kaczynski was serving the first of a two-game suspension he earned with a check from behind against the Ice Hawks last Thursday.

Despite having the league’s worst road power-play, the Flames capitalised on their first man-advantage of the game. With Sutherland in the box for roughing, Boston Colley put home a rebound chance past Alalouf to open the scoring.

The Flames extended their lead in the 2nd period, when Halen Cordoni ripped up the left wing and sniped Alalouf top-left.

The Sockeyes power-play converted when Jordan andrews beat Kurt Klimek on a nifty feed from Trevor Lima. This brought Richmond within a goal, but only for a moment. The Flames rushed back up up the ice and Dale Howell finished it off to retake the two-goal lead.

That was it for Alalouf’s night, who allowed 3 goals on 16 shots.

Kurt Russell came into the game and held the Sockeyes in the game until Jake Wozney put a backhand from in tight upstairs to put the Sockeyes within one before the period expired.

With a scramble in front of the Flames net in the third, the puck squeaked back to the point. J. Andrews took a slapshot that went five-hole on Klimek to tie the game up at 3-3.

Sockeyes put heavy pressure on Klimek throughout the final 40 minutes but the Flames’ goaltender was on his game. He made two huge saves on clean breakaways from Brodie Crawford and Andrew Bissett to keep the game even.

Klimek ran into trouble when a scramble in front knocked his stick loose. With a defender’s stick in hand, a shot from Ryan Jones deflected off a Flames defender and past Klimek to put the Sockeyes up by one.

Wozney scored off a shot that looked a lot more like a pass. It bounced off a defender’s skate and snuck past Klimek to put the game away.

Kurt Russell was fantastic in relief, stopping all 12 shots he faced for the win. J. Andrews and Wozney each tallied twice to carry the shorthanded Sockeyes to victory, 5-3 the final.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Sockeyes stifled by Outlaws defense

In the first home game of the new year, the Sockeyes hoped they could extract some revenge on the Mission City Outlaws on Thursday night. The Outlaws scored three goals in under three minutes in their only other meeting this season en route to a 5-3 win.

Despite having played the previous night, the Sockeyes jumped out to a quick start, as Tyler Paterson tapped a pass from Troy Kaczynski into a gaping net under a minute into the game.

The pace of the game slowed drastically following the goal, as the period ended with the lone goal and only 13 total shots.

The Sockeyes have been juggernauts on the power-play this season, but it was the Outlaws who won the special teams battle. They killed off all five Sockeyes penalties, and scored a goal on the power-play when a point shot from Ram Brar deflected off Brody Dyck’s arm past Sockeyes tender Nathan Alalouf

Mission’s top line was dangerous throughout, and Bryce Pisiak scored his team-leading 28th and 29th goals of the season.

Down 3-1 in the final ten minutes of the game, the Sockeyes finally solved Bryce Phenix a second time when Kaczynski snapped a wrist shot along the ice under the Outlaws netminder.

With nine seconds remaining on the clock, and trailing 3-2, Kaczynski rushed up the ice after a defensive zone face-off win and split the defense for a breakaway. Phenix stayed with him, putting an exclamation point on a 30-save performance with a left pad save with only a single second remaining.

Richmond rallied late, but came up short as they dropped their 2nd home game to Mission this season with a final score of 3-2.

- Bailey Meadows