The Richmond Sockeyes were well-represented and made a significant impact in Monday’s Pacific Junior Hockey League All-Star Game in Langley.
The Richmond contingent of Tyler Andrews, Nicolas Bizzutto, Troy Paterson and Brett Gelz, along with defensemen Shakeel Ebrahim and Jacob Keremidschieff helped the Tom Shaw Conference cruise to a 14-3 win over the Harold Brittain Conference. Andrews and Paterson each netted hat tricks, while Gelz also scored.
It took some heroics from Cooper Anderson to finally cool off the Sockeyes.
The Ridge Meadows Flames goaltender made 50 saves as the hosts held on for a 6-5 win on Friday night — snapping the Sockeyes’ 14-game win streak.
The Harold Brittain Conference front-runners had built a 6-2 third period lead before the Sockeyes came storming back with three goals in less than five minutes.
Anderson faced 21 shots in first and third periods.
Jordan Funk had a goal and an assist for Richmond. It was his second game with the club after being acquired at the league roster deadline on Wednesday from the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The 20-year-old Surrey native played the part of two seasons in the B.C. Hockey League before heading to the prairies where he was with the Kindersley Klippers before being dealt to Flin Flon. His Pacific Junior Hockey League rights belonged to Aldergrove.
Funk earned first star honours one night earlier in a 4-1 win over the Langley Trappers. He scored on the power play and also set up Mitchell Newsome.
His arrival completes what’s been an active few months for Sockeyes GM Richard Petrowsky in shaping a veteran-loaded team that will host the Cyclone Taylor Cup in April.
The Sockeyes roster now features 13 20-year-olds looking to close out their junior careers in style.
Mitchell Newsome, Nicolas Bizzutto and Trevor Townsend had the other goals in the win over Langley. Jacob Latrace made 26 saves in his second start since coming back from an ankle injury that had him sidelined since late September.
The Sockeyes visit Aldergrove on Wednesday night and return home 24 hours later to take on Port Moody at 7 p.m. They are currently tied for second place in the Tom Shaw Conference at 24-6-1-2 but enjoy four games in hand on North Vancouver.
