Sockeyes end regular season in 1st

                                           

After 46 games, a goalie change and depth throughout the lineup. your Richmond Sockeyes are the 2010-2011 PIJHL Regular Season Champions. Finishing with the best record in the league, going 37-5-4.

This season has proved to be one of the best ever for the Richmond Sockeyes. Only 9 losses throughout the entire year, with just 5 of them coming in regulation, that means out of a possible 92 points the Sockeyes only missed out on 14 of those. The solidity of the lineup has made this a team to be reckoned with, especially since every player on the team had over 10 points. Showing that it doesn't matter, top to bottom, that these players can compete.

Throughout the year we have seen many changes including, Aaron Oakley taking over as startong goalie, and finishing with MVP statistics, winning 23 of 25 games played, two shutouts and a league best 2.06 Goals Against Average.

Shots, shots and more shots, in 46 games Richmond was only outshot three times(North Delta, Mission and Delta). The more impressive stat is that from the start of the season to the end was the ability for the Sockeyes to vastly outshoot it's opponents, most notably against the Aldergrove Kodiaks to the tune of 75 shots.

All in all this is a team that is poised to be able to make a long playoff push, and hopefully extend its reach to the Cyclone Taylor Cup(Provincial championship) and Keystone Cup(National championship). Lets not forget that just two years ago was when the Sockeyes last won the regular season championship and they went on to win the National title.

In order to accomplish that though they have to get past the tough North Delta Devils squad. With Richmond clinching home-ice throughout the playoffs they will play three games at Sungod Arena and four at the home rink Minoru Arena. Game one is set for Monday February 21st at Sungod Arena, game time is 8:00. The Devils were the only team this year to have a winning record against the Sockeyes so you know it will be a hard fought series.

If you can make it out to either the Minoru Arena or Sungod Arena game times are as follows. All games will be broadcast on SockeyesTV on www.richmondsockeyes.com

NORTH DELTA    VS   RICHMOND

  Feb. 21     Monday        8:00 pm      Sungod

  Feb. 24     Thursday      7:30 pm      Minoru

  Feb. 25     Friday           8:45 pm      Minoru

  Feb. 26     Saturday      6:45 pm      Sungod

  Feb. 28     Monday        7:30 pm      Minoru   *if needed

  March 2   Wednesday   7:30 pm     Sungod   *if needed

  March 3   Thursday       7:30 pm     Minoru    *if needed

Sockeyes just keep on winning

                                           

Things just keep rolling along for the Richmond Sockeyes lately, they won their 8th straight game on Friday night and have won 24 of their last 26 games. Thanks in large part to their solid offensive play, top to bottom all guns are firing and all lines are rolling...to be cliché.

Their second to last home game was played against the only team to have a winning record versus the Sockeyes. The North Delta Devils came into the game having beaten Richmond three times this year, but this game sure didn't seem like thats how the season series was played. just four minutes into the game the Sockeyes started to take control, Thorsteinson opened the scoring. Roder, Thorsteinson and Hamaguchi are absolutely flying right now, having scored 30 points in just 5 games previous.

Past the midway point of the first period Connor Wilson was able to score his first goal at Minoru Arena since being traded, and then added a helper on Drew Spencer's goal. Richmond would score two more goals thanks to Keenan Webb, and Jeremy Hamaguchi getting on the board. Richmond would go on to win by a 5-0 score. Aaron Oakley made 26 saves for the shutout, his second of the season. Alex Wind started for the Devils but replaced after he allowed 3 goals on 12 shots. Alex Ahnert came in relief, and stopped 27 of 29 shots.

On Friday night the two division leaders were playing each other at the MSA Arena, and the Sockeyes would prove too much for Abbotsford winning 5-1.

Sockeyes would get goals from Patrick Hunter, Rudi Thorsteinson(2), Jake Roder and Jeremy Hamaguchi. All their goals came in the first two periods. Abbotsford would score in the third period to break Aaron Oakleys attempt at two consecutive shutouts.

With the recent success and confidence that the Sockeyes have shown it will be hard for any team to stop the high flying Richmond team. They face the Delta Ice Hawks on Tuesday at the Ladner Leisure Centre. Sockeyes can clinch the PIJHL regular season, and have home ice throughout the playoffs with either a Delta loss or a Sockeyes win.

Minoru arena will host the Squamish Wolf Pack this Thursday in the final regular season home game. You can watch online at SockeyesTV, 7:15 pre-game and 7:30 puck drop.

Sockeyes now three points up on Ice Hawks

                                                  

With wins against the Aldergrove Kodiaks and Port Moody Black Panthers there is now a three point separation between Richmond and Delta for first place in the Tom Shaw Conference. A 8-1 victory on Thursday night at the Minoru Arena and a 5-3 win over Port Moody has left the Sockeyes more comfortable in the race for first place.

Thursday night at the Minoru arena saw Richmond dominate the Harold Brittain Conference last place Aldergrove Kodiaks. In the first period Ross Baadsvik was playing very strong, stopping many good chances for Richmond. Late in the first period though the tide started to change, Jeremy Hamaguchi score and then Jake Roder scored just 14 seconds later. That would give the Sockeyes a 2-0 lead.

From that point on it was all Sockeyes, they scored six more goals, while the Kodiaks could only manage to get one goal past Aaron Oakley. Richmond got goal from Pare, Siemens, Hunter and Low, but the line of Hamaguchi, Thorsteinson, and Roder had an absolutely unbelievable game. between the three players they registered four goals, seven assists and eleven points.

Aaron Oakley made 22 of 23 stops in net, and because of his strong play now has 19 wins and a 2.21 GAA. He got the rest against Port Moody on Saturday night. Devin Nijjer would be between the pipes for Richmond.

Five different players scored for Richmond as they defeated the Black Panthers 5-3. Thortseinson and Hamaguchi once again got off to a great start, giving their team a 2-0 lead after the first period.

In the second period Port Moody got back into the game with two goals, but Eli Wiebe was able to get a goal to end the period 3-2.

An exciting third period saw the Black Panthers tie the game 3-3, but the Sockeyes are a resilient team and have now never lost in regulation when leading after two periods. Jake Roder and Patrick Hunter would score and give Richmond the 5-3 win and have now won 13 of 14 games.

The next game for the Richmond Sockeyes is this Thursday against the North Delta Devils. North Delta is the only team that has a winning record agauinst the Sockeyes. They have gone 3-1-0-1 against Richmond this year. Game time is 7:300 PM and you can watch the game on SockeyesTV www.richmondsockeyes.com