Delta enters the game being down by a 3-0 and outscored in the first three games by a 17-12 difference with hopes of extending the series not getting swept in the final round.
It’s interesting to note that Delta has been in the league for twenty years and have made the playoffs in each of the twenty seasons and have made the finals in nine of the twenty, never being swept four straight games.
Delta came out with a strong attack from the start forcing Kodiaks “tender” Rodin to make several remarkable stops keeping them in the game, while Naylor was up to the task at the other end for Delta.
While both teams played aggressive it was interesting to see them play a somewhat tentative style at times keeping away from any uncertain chance they may have had, which was probably more of a coach’s decision.
Kodiaks Pickering was assessed a double minor (4 minutes) for high sticking putting Delta on the first PP of the game allowing Cuthbert to dump the puck in the corner for Deymenjian to who sent a centering pass out front to Ice Hawks speedster Alex Suprynowicz who reached behind him pulling it forward sending it past a shocked Rodin for the early lead at 4:19.
The double minor dropped to a single minor allowing Delta to hammer more attempted shots at Rodin all of which were turned aside.
Following his return after a game off Delta’s “big-man” Bradley Crompton put the Ice Hawks up by two at 9:16 after a setup from Rubin who stole the puck from behind with Crompton on the left side post simply tipping it in giving Delta a 2-0 lead.
Delta maintained the lead and managed to get the third of the game as Methorst broke in the right side dropping the puck to Suprynowicz who fed a cross crease pass to Prior who tipped one over Rodin’s stick putting them up 3-0 at the 14:34 mark.
Any club that plays the Kodiaks knows that a three goal lead simply isn’t enough for a guaranteed win, but realistically it should help, but not on this night.
Kodiaks De Waal was sent in on the left side allowing Davitt to pick up the rebound Naylor kicked out front slipping getting the Kodiaks on the board at 18:20.
While Delta had chance after chance they were unable to get quality shots directly on Rodin being outshot in the first by a 10-7 difference, while my official spoter Steve Daniel had it listed at 13-7, but shots are shots.
With the first being more tentative both teams were somewhat more disciplined with Delta taking only two minors while Aldergrove were stingy taking only one.
The second saw Delta come out with a vengeance and any good coach will tell you to put the puck on the net from all areas and you just never know what will happen.
Such was the case with Delta’s Methorst as he dangled the puck behind the net coming out the left side throwing it out front, but it hit a skate and went past a shocked Rodin giving Delta a commanding 4-1 lead at 6:19 of the mid frame.
While Delta was in control on the scoreboard it was Aldergrove who were commanding respect from other areas of the ice following an explosive hit delivered by Poitras on Deymenjian which seemed to be the wake-up call for the Kodiaks.
With Suprynowicz off for slashing Poitras danced in on the left side hammering one at Naylor who was unable to control the puck sending a huge rebound to Oliver who was waiting out front and simply had to tap it in putting the finishing touches on the second heading to the dressing room trailing by a 4-2 score.
While Delta had chance after chance the Kodiaks controlled the shot department sending 13 at Naylor, leading after two by a 23-17 margin while Delta was only able to send 10 on Rodin.
Anyone that has seen the Kodiaks play knows the game isn’t over until the final buzzer and in this case no truer words were ever spoken.
Aldergrove came out like they were on fire hammering shot after shot after a somewhat shocked Delta squad who were commanded in the shot department throughout the entire period mostly from the left side.
The “Yaks” as most call them managed to get the first of the period after White dished the puck of to De Waal that saw Naylor give up a juicy rebound on the right side with Davitt waiting on the doorstep notching their third of the game pulling within one.
As we could expect the Kodiaks weren’t finished just yet as Schroeder and Leroux did all the dirty work passing the puck ten feet inside the blue-line to Callegari who sent a bullet from 45 feet out past a screened Naylor tying the game at four to a shocked crowd, nevermind Ice Hawks squad.
Call it a foolish penalty or not, but from where I sat it was just an act of reaching for the puck, but regardless Deymenjian was called for tripping at 14:13 putting the Kodiaks on the PP and given their explosive level of play only time would tell if the minor would be a full two minutes or possibly less and in this case it was less.
Spending a short 27 seconds in the box saw Deyrmenjian get early release with White getting set up by Villo who gave the Kodiaks the lead on the PP for the first time in the game, coming back from a 4-1 deficit.
At this stage of the game, it’s all or nothing as the Ice Hawks continued to press having chance after chance only to be turned aside by either Rodin or his “D” standing in front of him limiting any chance Delta may have had with the game coming to a close.
The Kodiak fans were sensing victory and another PJHL Championship, but don’t turn away just yet!!
Delta pressed hard throwing everything they had at Rodin and if the kitchen sink was handy that would have come next shift but the Kodiaks got lucky and Delta wasn’t forced to use it.
As the announcement was being made for the last minute Delta sent one on goal only to roll across the goal line, although the light did come on, but Referee Sidhu was in position to quickly wave off the no goal.
You have to give it to Delta as there was no quitting by anyone on the squad and as much as they pressed one would think the cards were stacked against them, but they weren’t done quite yet.
Two who for my liking (Dhaliwal and Deymenjian) should be playing at a higher level worked magic following a bounce off the back boards sent the bouncing puck out front to Trotman sitting 10 feet out front and with no one around him tee’ed it up hammering the tying goal past Rodin with a mere 13 seconds remaining to the shock and dismay of the Kodiak fans knowing we would be headed to O/T.
Following the regulation 60 minutes the teams had a two minute rest followed by a 10 minute Sudden Victory period (no longer listed as Sudden Death and was changed after Canada abolished Capital Punishment) with the first goal being the winner.
Both teams had several chances it was Delta’s Bogess who did the magic notching his third of the playoffs forcing a game five.
After stealing the puck on the right side he fashionably dangled the puck pulling it past a sliding “D” man tilting his stick enabling him to roof the puck “top shelf” where Grandma keeps the maple syrup notching the game winner at 5:44 of the first O/T.
Following the celebration against the boards and in the Kodiaks zone near the hash-marks Kodiaks Poitras locked horns with Crompton as everyone seemed to be cheering, but they obviously had other thoughts.
The interesting part with this scrum was that Ice Hawks “tender” Jordan Naylor came from his end to join in the celebrations and ended up pushing his players out of the area as if he was on the front line of the BC Lions and as you could tell there was clearly a size difference between him and everyone else.
The officials moved in quick and separated everyone allowing Delta to enjoy the post game celebrations that have now pulled them back in the series although trailing by a 3-1 deficit, but they are now in the series.
Confidence plays a huge role in any game, but no more than if a team is down in a seven game series by a 3-0 margin and having one game under their belts could change the outcome of the rest of the series for Delta, so don’t write them off just yet.
Game Stars:
1st Jordan Bogress (1 goal – game winner)
2nd Derian White (1 assist – strong game)
3rd Alex Suprynowicz (1 goal/1 assist)
While Delta are trailing in the series by 3-1 they are now in the series and on an interesting stat from Steve Daniel he mentions that this is Delta’s 20 year in the playoffs and they have been in the finals nine (9) times and never been swept.
As remarkable as this stat is Delta has never yet won a league championship, while the Kodiaks have won two, first in 2010 followed by a second in 2014.
If ever there was a comical point to the game it was that the goal light broke in the lobby end forcing the goal judge to use a flag as if he was directing traffic, which was only used twice in the game for the tying and game winning goal.
Delta has the chance to pull within one but have to play a full 60 minutes or more and not be “baited’ into situations that are going to be detrimental to the team and if they can do this, it’s anyone’s series.
Question of the day – “Will there be a game six Tuesday in Delta”?
