Hamaguchi scores 4-3 OT winner (Sockeyes 2-1)

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The Richmond Sockeyes won game two by a 4-3 overtime score, that was after they gave up a third period lead. Jeremy Hamaguchi was the hero though, scoring his fourth of the playoffs and sending the Sockeyes back to Minoru Arena win a 2-1 series lead.


Goals were exchanged pretty early on, at the 2:29 minute mark both teams exchanged goals, Brayden Low scored for Richmond. Young defenceman and Chilliwack Bruins prospect Turner Popoff took and interference penalty and the Ice Hawks offence went to work on the power play. Cody Fidgett would score his second goal of the period beating Aaron Oakley for a 2-1 lead after the opening period.


Things started to turn around for Richmond in the second period, as Jeremy Hamaguchi got on the board to tie the game 13:15 into the period. The Ice Hawks made a very sloppy change and Rudi Thorsteinson and Jake Roder took full advantage. They came in on a 2 on 0, Thorsteinson pulled goalie Nick Enegren to the far left side, waited for Roder to get open and sent the puck over with a nice saucer pass. As Roder got the puck he wasted no time and put it in the wide open net for Richmond's first lead of the game. There was a terrific chance to increase the lead when the Sockeyes got a breakaway in the final two seconds but they couldn't slip it past Enegren. 

A terrific show of hockey was put on by Patrick Hunter in the final couple minutes while on a penalty kill. Hunter who is known for being terrific on the penalty kill came up huge after Keenan Webb took a tripping call. The Sockeyes captain was playing with a skip in his step, and sent the puck down the ice, but that wasn't the extent of the penalty kill. While down behind Enegren, he was successfully jamming the puck against the boards, what made it so epic...the fact that four, count em' four Ice Hawks couldn't get the puck away from him. It was a mervelous display of both hockey skill, sense and athleticism. The Ladner Leisure Centre erupted at this show he put on down deep killing twenty-five penalty filled seconds.


It didn't take the Ice Hawks long to tie up the game in the third period, as they scored 1:28 in. Ryan Cuthbert was the goal scorer getting the puck behind Oakley for a 3-3 tie. Delta controlled most of the play from this point on getting chance after chance on the Sockeyes net. Luckily for Richmond the time wound down and they were heading to overtime.


Game 1 was a 4-3 overtime win for the Sockeyes after Rudi Thorsteinson scored the winner, and tonight his line went to work again. There were some scary chances for the Ice Hawks on Oakley but it was Jeremy Hamaguchi who became the hero for Richmond. Capitalizing on some offensive pressure being put on the Ice Hawks, he walked to an open afrea and wired a shot past Enegren for the win.


This was a huge win for Richmond especially after what happened on Sunday in the 6-1 shilacking. Now they are heading back to familiar territory, the Minoru Arena for games four and five., hoping home ice will be a huge advantage. Game four goes at 7:30 in Richmond, you can also watch online on SockeyesTV at www.richmondsockeyes.com