Just hours after ringing in the new year, the Richmond Sockeyes will return to work on home ice as part of the inaugural Pacific Junior Hockey League Winter Classic.
It will feature all 10 PJHL teams playing two games over three days at Minoru Arenas. The event is part of the league’s 50th anniversary celebration and provides a convenient format for junior and college scouts.
The Sockeyes have stuck to their usual holiday schedule leading up to the weekend with three straight practices before enjoying New Year’s Eve off. They hit the ice Friday night to take on the Grandview Steelers at 7 p.m. Richmond will also play the final game of the Winter Classic on Sunday (7 p.m.) against the Langley Knights.
“I think we are all looking forward to it,” said head coach Judd Lambert. “I really hope a lot of scouts and coaches that are interested in junior ‘B’ players come out. It will be a really good showcase for them.”
The Sockeyes (16-10-2-2) will be looking to close just a three point gap on the Steelers (18-8-1-2) for second place in the Tom Shaw Conference thanks to a solid month of December. The teams played to a spirited 3-3 tie on Dec. 20 at the Burnaby Winter Club.
Brett Gelz’s early third period maker looked like it might stand as the game winner until Sean Norbury equalized with 3:10 remaining. Richmond’s 38 shots included glorious chances for Matthew Cox and Nicholas Wicks that would have provided some insurance.
Still, it was an encouraging performance against a veteran opponent that typically thrives at its smaller home ice venue.
“When you compare the amount of space behind the net (at Minoru) and here it’s like an ocean and a puddle,” laughed Lambert. “Part of their game is intimidation but not so much in a physical way. It’s trying to put you into a panic mode.
“We do have to move the puck quickly against them but not as soon as we touch it or one-timers along the boards. We have time to make passes and I think we got better at it during periods of this game.”
With a line-up chock-full of 17-year-old rookies, the PJHL regular season has been all about getting this team ready for two potential opponents loaded with experience in the playoffs — the Steelers and defending champion North Vancouver Wolfpack.
“The gap is still there, but we are getting closer,” continued Lambert. “It’s something we are working on every day we step on the ice. It’s about being mentally tough and believing in the type of game we play. They are a good hockey team and it’s unfortunate we couldn’t hold a couple of leads against them. But we are still trying to build towards February (and the playoffs).”
The rest of the Winter Classic schedule of games includes: Friday — Mission City vs. North Vancouver (1 p.m.) and Abbotsford vs. Delta (4 p.m.).
Saturday — Langley vs. Aldergrove (10 a.m.), Ridge Meadows vs. Abbotsford (1 p.m.), Port Moody vs. Mission City (4 p.m.) and Delta vs. Grandview 7 p.m.).
Sunday — Aldergrove vs. Ridge Meadows (1 p.m.) and North Vancouver vs. Port Moody (4 p.m.)
