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.
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