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Richmond continued its success winning its second straight game this time they didn't have to go to overtime though as they won 5-3. Rudi Thorsteinson scored the game winner off a nice deflectection in the early second period. Richmond now has an absolute stranglehold on the series with a 3-1 series lead, with the possibility to close it out at home tonight.
It didn't take long for Richmond to get on the board, but it wasn't the top line that got things started, it was Kamesh Goundar. Brayden Low got the puck to Siemens beside the net and he passed it to the wide open Goundar who fired a low shot past Nick Enegren. A flurry of scoring chances came to the Sockeyes but they couldn't capitalize and it would prove costly when Liam Harding stepped on the ice. Harding grabbed the puck at the red line and skated in on a 2 on 1 with Cody Fidgett, he didn't pass though he just ripped a shot past Aaron Oakley's glove.
Under two minutes left in the first period and the Sockeyes got a scoring frenzy, Jeremy Hamguchi got the second goal with just 1:34 left in the 1st. Thorsteinson found him in the slot and he just dangled right around an Ice Hawks defender and scored. Not even a minute later, 51 seconds to be exact, Clayton Wright fired a hard shot that went in and out of Enegren's glove, the puck floated into the net and the Sockeyes lead 3-1.
Richmond started the second just like they ended the first period, scoring 2:19 into the frame. Rudi Thorsteinson who already had a couple assists, got on the scoreboard with a nice deflection goal. He was able to move the puck in a complete different direction and Enegren couldn't adjust to the deflection and it was 4-1 Richmond.
The Sockeyes game play changed quite a bit as they turned more to playing a defensive game, and Delta got more chances because of this. They were getting countless scoring opportunities but it got all turned around after the fourth goal. At 14:52 Spencer Traher sent a behind the back pass to Kye Benjaminsen who just sent a quick shot underneath Oakley. Less than four minutes later the Ice Hawks made a game out of it, Aaron Merrick caught the trailer, Cody Smith pinching in , got him the puck and he also quickly sent a shot behind Oakley. After two periods the Sockeyes lead 4-3 but were being outshot 32-19.
Richmond was now just twenty minutes from taking a big series lead, the Sockeyes put a lot more offensive pressure than they did in the end of the second period. There were many more scoring chances, a couple from Jake Roder including a shot right off the post. After Delta pulled the goalie Keenan Webb shot the puck towards the empty-net but hit the post and had the Minoru Arena gasping for breath. Delta came back down the ice with a couple shots on goal, but after Hunter lost the puck heading for the net, Siemens picked up the puck and put it in the empty-net.
The Sockeyes took a huge game that could have gone either way. Sockeyes only period that they had more shots were in the third, but altogether were outshot in the game 43-32. Aaron Oakley and Nick Enegren didn't have their best game in net, but still managed to stop a bucket of pucks sent at them. This was also Kyzen Loo's first game back since a December 30th 6-2 wn over North Delta Devils. He didn't get much playing time as he was just trying to get his feet back under him. Loo did have a good chance and showed some nice dangle moves like he did earlier in the year.
Tonight's game could send the Richmond Sockeyes to the PIJHL final should they beat the Delta Ice Hawks. With the 3-1 series lead they can close it out at 7:15 tonight at the Minoru Arena, you can also watch online at SockeyesTV http://www.richmondsockeyes.com/
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