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Sockeyes and Ice Hawks clash one final time in Cyclone Taylor Cup final

Richmond makes it an all-PJHL final for first time since 2006 with 5-3 win over Delta on Saturday night.
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Sockeyes captain Tyler Andrews breaks towards the net during Friday's game against Kimberley. He will lead the hosts into Sunday's gold medal game against the Delta Ice Hawks at 1 p.m.

A wild four days at the Cyclone Taylor Cup Championships will conclude with an all-Pacific Junior Hockey League final for the first time in 12 years.

The host Richmond Sockeyes and Delta Ice Hawks will clash one more time for the gold medal game at 1 p.m. at Minoru Arenas. The day’s action will begin with the Campbell River Storm and Kimberley Dynamiters meeting for bronze at 10 a.m.

The final day of round-robin play started Saturday with both spots in the gold medal game still up for grabs. However, the picture became much clearer when Campbell River jumped out to a 4-0 lead midway through the opening period and would cruise to a 9-0 win over Kimberley.

That result guaranteed Delta would play for gold prior to its final round-robin game with the Sockeyes. 

The Vancouver Island champion Storm needed an Ice Hawks win in regulation to finish ahead of Richmond to grab the other spot. However, their chances took a hit even before the opening face-off. Hawks head coach Steve Robinson opted to rest three players. Netminder Jordy Engleson got his first start since Feb. 4.

Richmond jumped out to a 2-0 lead by the 2:17 mark on goals from Trevor Townsend and Arjun Badh and would go on to a 5-3 victory, outshooting the PJHL champions 40-16. Tyler Andrews. Matthew Brown and Townsend's second of the night rounded out the Sockeyes scoring while Hardy Hoonjan got the win in net.

The gold medal game will mark the 11th time the Fraser River rivals have squared off this season. 

Delta won a close regular season series (2-1-0-1) and then took out the Sockeyes in five games in the second round of the PJHL playoffs. Most games have been tight checking and low scoring.

Now it’s one last showdown with a provincial championship on the line and the end of junior hockey for 16 graduating players, including 13 from the Sockeyes. All three leagues voted last summer not to attend the Keystone Cup Western Canadian Championships. Alberta and Saskatchewan will also not be represented.

The Sockeyes entered their final round-robin game with a 1-1-0-0 record after opening with a 4-1 win over Campbell River then falling 7-1 to Kimberley on Friday night.

The hosts had picked up right where they left off the night before by dominating the opening minutes against the Dynamiters. Shots were 9-2 at one point and Noah Wozney eventually gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.

However, the Kootenay league champs answered just over a minute later and that set the stage for a big second period. 

Three straight goals before the seven minute mark chased starting netminder Hardy Hoonjan through no fault of his own. Kimberley then added two more in the third, both from James Farmer to complete his hat trick. Cody Campbell was terrific in net with 38 saves.

Jacob Latrace made 15 stops in a relief role — making his first appearance since leaving with a concussion in game five of Richmond’s opening round series against North Vancouver back on Feb. 22.