It was the league championship game and the Abbotsford Pilots had just scored a goal, giving them a lead over the Richmond Sockeyes, and thereby plunging owner Romeo Bon into brief depression.
The year was 1992 and Bon couldnt relax.
He was very passionate and emotional, he got so wrapped up in it, said then head coach Maurice Lambert, often acting as a foil to the late owner.
I had to make him relax on more than one occasion. After that goal, he kept saying, Were gonna lose it. But then we went on to win the provincials that year. I teased him about that for a while.
Only two years prior, Bon had applied to create a new junior B team after the junior A team moved to Chilliwack in 1990. The new team played in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League.
From its first year to 2002, Bon devoted much of his time to creating a team that upheld the quality of past decades in skill, character and all around good sportsmanship.
He was really the heart and soul of the Sockeyes, said Lambert. And they all loved him for it.
In only its second year as a junior B team, Bon and Lambert steered the Sockeyes to a provincial win against Nelson.
Although held in Richmond, there was an overwhelming amount of Nelson fans present during the championship games, Lambert remembered.
It was a best of three, but we beat them in the first two games with almost identical scores, I think 5-1, he said. It was very satisfying.
Throughout the decade, the Sockeyes would become a powerhouse in the league, setting the stage for two more provincial wins in 2003 and 2004. A portion of the Sockeye alumni continued to the NHL, while others pursued other successful careers.
Lambert still sees some of his former players around Richmond his own son Judd was star goalie during the 90s and also coached the team a couple of years ago.
Im really proud of where all the ex-Sockeyes have gone, he said. The other day I ran into a former player in an elevator, wearing a suit and tie. It turns out hes the president of some company. Its really great.
During his coaching years, Lambert worked to get the players achieving their potentials, focusing on skills and camaraderie.
Once you get them playing to their potential, that takes care of the winning part, said Lambert, whos since retired as coach but is still part owner. I miss that direct interaction, and being in the dressing room. Its a great thing to see that moment when they realize the things theyve been working on are actually working and producing results.
Working with a wide range of talent and personality came with its challenges when trying to pull the team in the same direction, said Lambert.
When he meets up with past players, they often find themselves laughing about those more trying times.
But it was a good organization from the top to the bottom. The team was strong all the way along. And when you have a good reputation, its easy to recruit players because they want to play for us.
