Alumni game a huge success

                                               

 

The Richmond Sockeyes 10th annual Alumni game went off with smashing success. The Sockeyes Alumni comprised of former players throughout the years avenged their 7-6 loss to last years Sockeyes by beating this years team 7-6.

The pre-game festivities included the official team photos, followed by warm-ups and a fantastic rendition of Oh Canada thanks to Vancouver Canucks Anthem singer Mark Donnelly. His son Sean Donnelly who played for the 2008-2009 Keystone cup team was in net for the latter half of the game.

The games opening goalies were Kootenay Alder for the Sockeyes and Head coach Judd Lambert, a former New Jersey Devils draft pick playing for the Alumni team. Things didn't get started off too well for the current boys as their opponents opened a three goal lead within the first half of the period. This was a little bit strange as most years it is the alumni who starts flat footed. Three rebound goals led to the 3-0 lead, but don't count the current boys out.

Jeremy Hamaguchi and Dean Allison brought the game to a one goal difference late in the first period. Hamaguchi wristed one past Lambert and Dean Allison converted the second. The Sockeyes really started to move their feet and get the bulk of the opportunities late in the frame.

To the second period we go and just like the first it was the Alumni who got off to the great start. They got their three goal lead back with two quick goals for a 5-2 lead. But once again the deficit was brought to within one with two current team goals. 

Before the goalies switched Kootenay Alder had one last goal scored on his to make the game 6-4. The goalies would be changed at the midway mark of the second period. Judd stopped 30 of 34 shots for the Alumni and was replaced by Donnelly while Kootenay Alder was replaced by Tyler Klassen.

The Alumni team became a little sluggish throughout the rest of the game but were still playing to their utmost potential. Unfortunately for them the Sockeyes tied the game up in the third period with two goals to bring this game down to the wire. 

The past three Alumni games have all been decided by one goal (2009 - 6-5, 2010 - 7-6, 2011 - 7-6) and this game was heading for that same result. There was a flurry of action in front of Donnellys net all period but he stood strong, as did Tyler Klassen holding the fort.

There had to be one winner and late in the final frame it would be the Alumni registering the winning goal, Steve Howitt, knocked in the game-winner to give them the 7-6 win. The same result of the past three alumni games have all ended in a 7-6 score, clearly showing how competitive the two teams always are. 

A big shout-out goes to the MVP's of the game, Dean Allison for the Sockeyes with two goals and an assist, and to the Alumni teams Brad Swanson for his superb effort on defence all night long.

After the game the festivities continued afterwards with beers, food and celebratory bragging rights. Sean Thorsteinson now has a Keystone cup ring and a goal in the alumni game to brag to his brother Rudi Thorsteinson.

All-in-all though what should be remembered is the fact that this organization donated its time and money to scholarships funds this night. All the money gained from ticket sales among other things are being given right back to the players who entertain every Thursday night at the Minoru Arena. 

If you would like a video of the game be sure to contact us sockeyes@live.ca or contact team owner Doug Paterson.

The Sockeyes next game is a rematch of the 2010-2011 PIJHL finals versus the Abbotsford Pilots. Be sure to head on out to the Minoru Arena for a 7:30 puckdrop or watch live with Dustin Forbes and Aaron Mackay on SockeyesTV www.richmondsockeyes.com

Sockeyes current team before game

Sockeyes official team photo

Alumni team warm-ups

New Goalie

With the recent departure of Sockeyes starting goalie Jonah Imoo it left an open spot on the roster to be filled. Sockeyes GM Richard Petrowsky was able to find six foot one, 20 year old, Maple Ridge native Tyler Klassen.

We would like to wish Jonah Imoo all the best as he becomes the Powell River Kings backup goaltender for the remainder of the season in the BCHL. Hopefully Imoo will go far as a goaltender for the Kings. For Richmond he was part of the unbelievable 14-0-0 run to start the season along with six shutouts shared with Kootenay Alder. Imoo had four shutouts in his first four games and finished with a 16-2-0 record, 1.26 GAA, and 6 shutouts.

But now it will be Tyler Klassen and Kootenay Alder leading the Sockeyes into the post-season this year. With 10 games still left in the season the Sockeyes need just 6 wins to clinch 1st place in the PIJHL regular season.


Tyler Klassen brings in size and agility to the goaltending position. He comes in with statistics that do not look great going 0-6, with a 5.91 GAA, but that was with a tough Ridge Meadow Flames team that has only won seven games all year.

Klassen certainly got his tenure with the Sockeyes started off well defeating the Grandview Steelers 8-0 and picking up the shutout in the process. he stopped 21 shots along the way to his first victory for the Fish.

The Sockeyes are still waiting to get back injured forwards Rudi Thorsteinson and Justin Rai. When those two players return this is a team poised for greatness this year in the PIJHL.

Sockeyes next game will be Thursday January 19th versus the Port Moody Black Panthers at the Minoru Arena. Sockeyes are 3-0 against them this year, if you can't make it to the game you can catch the action on SockeyesTV at www.richmondsockeyes.com Pre-game at 7:!5, puckdrop at 7:30.

Sockeyes stand strong in tough 2-1 win

                                       vs.                   


In what may be a future playoff series showdown in the Tom Shaw Conference, the two top PIJHL engaged in a surprisingly defensive battle. Richmond could only manage to get two goals into the net, but it was enough for a 2-1 victory and a four point PIJHL standings lead.


Coming into the game Richmond was on a bit of a snide after losing two of their last three games. This after losing only one game of their first twenty-one games. While the Ice Hawks came in red hot, winners of six straight and eight of their last nine games. Their only loss in that span was to Richmond back on November 22nd a 5-1 loss.


Normally these two offensively skilled teams engage in a scoring showdown, after all the Ice Hawks and Sockeyes are the two top scoring teams in the PIJHL as well. But this game was a battle of goaltenders. Former North Delta Devils goalie Alex Ahnert for the Ice Hawks and Jonah Imoo, the leagues top goalie for the Sockeyes.


Jonah Imoo, who went undefeated in his thirteen game, was in net for the two losses to the Devils. In this game he played unbelievable making 33 saves for the win. There were two absolutely huge opportunities for the Ice Hawks to take the lead, the first was a shorthanded penalty shot awarded to Aaron Merrick after he was hauled down. Merrick came in and fired a shot on net in close, but Imoo was there to stand tall and make the save to keep in scoreless. The best chance though was a 2 on 1 late in the game where Imoo made one of the biggest kick saves ever to keep the game deadlocked. This was undoubtedly a "save-of-the-year" candidate.


On the Ice Hawks side, back-up goalie Alex Ahnert was just as good in net for Delta, he made 40 saves. Ahnert kept the game close and made key stops on Sockeyes rushes to preserve the 0-0 score. It wasn't until 9:07 of the third period that he was finally able to be beaten. On an elbowing penalty to  Mark Whiteley, the Sockeyes went to their sixth power play, they didn't capitalize on their first five. This time though they wouldn't make that mistake. After a faceoff win and some movement inside the Ice Hawks zone. Ryan Copper made a huge play to step to the point after playing forward. Cooper held the line in defense of his defense and got the puck right to Kevan Kilistoff and he snuck inside the circle and ripped a shot past Ahnert for a 1-0 lead, second assist went to Mike Ball.


The game looked like it had been a case of whoever scored first would win, and as the time was winding down it appeared that way. But the Ice Hawks had other ideas as PIJHL leading scorer Spencer Traher tipped home an Anthony Brito shots that got past Imoo to tie the game with under four minutes left.


So once again we were heading to overtime...or so we thought. Just twenty-four seconds later. Sockeyes newest player and defenseman Dylan Smith got the puck at the point and slapped home his first PIJHL goal and it was the game winner. The puck came off his stick and got deflected past Ahnert with 3:25 left in the game. The Sockeyes would run out the clock and take a 2-1 win for a four point PIJHL lead, and have two games at hand on the Delta Ice Hawks.


In four games against the Ice Hawks, Richmond has won all four and outscored their Massey Tunnel rivals 15-7.


A big shoutout to Dylan Smith who comes from the North American Hockey Leagues Dawson Creek Rage. He had previously played in Sicamous, Lloydminster, and Salmon Arm. He is a North Delta Minor Hockey League player and we look forward to seeing what he brings to the Sockeyes backend.


Richmond will now play North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Saturday at the Harry Jerome Arena. Their next home game will be Thursday the 22nd against the Grandview Steelers, if you can't make it to the game you can catch it on the web on SockeyesTV pregame show at 7:15 www.richmondsockeyes.com