A game day program will come in handy when round two of the Tunnel Cup takes place on Tuesday night at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
The Delta Ice Hawks and Richmond Sockeyes have made a number of changes to their rosters since playing to a 2-2 draw back in the opening week of the Pacific Junior Hockey League regular season. The Tunnel Cup was introduced last year and is presented to the winning team of the four-game season series.
Delta could have several new faces in its line-up which reflects a busy stretch of wheeling and dealing for GM and head coach Steve Robinson.
In the past week, the club has added three blueliners — Marcus Sihota, Jake Dowell and Michael Sande — after trading 20-year-olds Max Daerendinger and Paul Georgeopoulos. Robinson also picked up forwards Seamus Collins and Dario Esposito.
Sihota and Collins are former Sockeyes who played under Robinson a year ago, as is 20-year-old Andrew Kemp who the club acquired last month from North Vancouver. He has 12 points in 10 games.
Meanwhile, Richmond turned to the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League last week to add forwards Noah Kelly (Victoria) and Radek Hewson (Campbell River). Both are alumni of the Major Midget Greater Vancouver Canadians.
The Sockeyes’ biggest addition since their initial meeting with the Ice Hawks is 20-year-old forward Isaac Embree who had spent the past two seasons in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The 6-foot-3 195-pounder not only provides a physical presence but a scoring touch too. The Delta Hockey Academy product had goal and two assists in Friday’s 3-2 overtime road win over Ridge Meadows.
Both clubs also feature potential league MVP candidates.
Hawks forward Alex Surynowicz leads the league with 16 goals in 14 games, five more than his nearest rival. His is only two more away from matching his career high.
Jeremy Kelleway has been a key addition in the Sockeyes net. He owns a .947 save percentage and 1.67 average with a 8-3-1 record.
The Sockeyes and Ice Hawks will enter the game with identical 9-3-1-1 records. While Tom Shaw Conference honours is still up for grabs, the league’s bold move to revamp the playoff format sure has added plenty of intrigue.
With the top eight teams, regardless of conference, advancing to the post-season, Delta and Richmond find themselves in a three-way tie with Langley for second spot and four points back of league-leading North Vancouver. Only four points separate second and sixth place in the overall standings.
Game time Tuesday is 7:35 p.m.
