It’s a match-up that has been anticipated for months and the clear top two teams in the Pacific Junior Hockey League this season will finally get down to business on Wednesday night.
After both made short work of their first two playoff opponents, the Richmond Sockeyes and Aldergrove Kodiaks clash in what should be a terrific best-of-seven championship series. Game one takes place in Aldergrove and the teams will also do battle on Thursday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (5:45 p.m.) at Minoru Arena.
It’s a rematch of a year ago when the Sockeyes produced a sweep en route to a dream season that included league, provincial and Western Canada titles. This time, however, it’s expected to be a much tighter affair as the conference playoff format has finally brought the league’s two best clubs together in the finals for the first time since 2009.
Each team produced 34 regular season wins and the Kodiaks handed Richmond its only loss since November 21 — a 5-4 come-from-behind victory back in late January.
“Statistics show the top two teams will be playing and obviously that’s what everyone wants the match-up to be,” said Sockeyes head coach Judd Lambert following a typical up-tempo practice session on Sunday night.
“Aldergrove is a very good team. They are high powered, experienced and have good goaltending. We are going to have to be at our very best to win four games off of them and they will have to be as well take take four from us.”
The Sockeyes’ remarkable second half run included a 2-1 home ice triumph over the Kodiaks that was part of a 16 game win streak. Aldergrove was missing three of its top forwards that night, while Richmond was shorthanded when the teams met again a couple of weeks later.
“I don’t think either of those games are indicative of the teams playing in this series,” continued Lambert. “We have all our guys back and they are pretty healthy as well. Defensively, it’s going to be a challenge that we haven’t seen for a seven game stretch this year if the series goes that far.”
The Sockeyes are coming off a semi-final sweep of the North Vancouver Wolf Pack in a series that was closer than what the final outcome suggests.
Two of Richmond’s wins came in overtime, while the defending champs roared back from a three goal deficit in the final period to win game four 8-6 last Wednesday.
The comeback was highlighted by the Sockeyes erupting for three goals in 47 seconds to start the third period. Michael Scobie led the way with four points, including pair of goals. Matthew Bissett also scored twice, while singles went to Cole Plotnikoff, Jacob Wozney, Liam Lawson and Mac Colasimone.
“They have shown their resilience (throughout the season),” Lambert added. We have lost only one game since November and over that time have found lots of ways to win. Through it all, we have stayed focused on playing our game. That said, I don’t like our chances coming back from three goals against a team like Aldergrove.”
