The Richmond Sockeyes will be riding a five-game win streak into 2019 and the upcoming PJHL Winter Classic at Minoru Arenas.
A big 4-3 victory over the Grandview Steelers on Sunday at the Burnaby Winter Club pulled the Sockeyes within two points of the Delta Ice Hawks for second place in the overall standings with a game in hand. The Sockeyes eight points back of league-leading North Vancouver with two games in hand and a home-and-home series looming at the end of January.
Rookie standout Craig Schouten’s 17th goal of the season with 3:10 remaining broke 3-3 deadlock after the Steelers had battled back from a 2-0 first period deficit to pull even. Thomas Von Schoenberg, Jacob Kermemidschieff and Alex McLeod had the other Richmond goals. Jeremy Kelleway made 23 stops to improve to 18-6-2.
The Sockeyes were coming off a 4-0 win over Port Moody on their annual Teddy Bear Toss Night Dec. 20 at Minoru Arenas. Brady Sprague’s goal just 3:25 into the contest sent the “bears flying” and also proved to be the game winner.
Schouten added a pair while Ryan Wellburn also scored.
The Sockeyes return to action Jan. 4 when they take on the Abbotsford Pilots at 7 p.m. in their first of two games in the third annual Winter Classic. Richmond will also face Aldergrove on Jan. 6, also at 7 pm.
In total, Minoru will host 12 games over three days, involving all 12 teams in the league. The action starts at 10 a.m. all three days.
