Motivation Helps Sockeyes Eliminate Whalers

Photo Credit Sophia Khatami

Game four in any series can be challenging especially for a team that finds themselves trailing and being down by a 3–0 margin in need of a must win to keep the series and the season alive.

One series finishes up and prior to the next one it was what some might call a motivational chat but this time it was with Canada’s Olympic Race Walker Evan Dunfee who gave an inspiring talk with the guys prior to hitting the ice.

He talked to the team about his Olympic journey to the Olympics teaching them that you don’t need to win in order to succeed which was followed by teaching them how to race walk then joined them on the ice.

Who knew that he could even skate cause many of the players sure never did but maybe not quite Junior level yet, but maybe one day as an “over age.”

Not to mention that they were in awe even after he passed around his Olympic Medal to show the guys and you just never know who might get one of their own – one day!!

Such was the case for the Whalers who were returning to the “Fish Tank” to take on the powerful explosive offensive talent of the Sockeyes who outscored the Whalers 23-7 in the first three games.

Returning to Richmond would prove to be a difficult task for the Whalers who continue to play undisciplined in a contest that saw both teams force the officiating crew to hand out 86 minutes in penalties.

It took all but 21 seconds that saw Justin Grant getting his third of the playoffs to open the scoring followed by his second of the game at 7:36 giving the Sockeyes a 2-0 lead after one period.

The first saw Richmond assessed three minors giving the Whalers various chances to get on the board only to be turned aside by the steller play of Noah Stenvig who was filling in for Thomas Popa who was writing a business exam.

The Whalers went with Mark Paton between the pipes who was tested early and often and forced to come up with some key saves to keep the Whalers in the game and the series.

The second saw the Sockeyes continue where they finished in the first with Teo Lin (3) getting  a PP marker at 6:26 followed by Justin Grant getting his third of the game at 8:46 for his highlight goal of the night.

The Whalers continued to press and an errant turn-over saw Whalers Dylan Heer (1) jump on a loose puck getting a PP goal at 15:54 that saw the second finish up with the Sockeyes taking a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.

The second saw the officials hand out seven minor’s with four assessed to Richmond and three to the Whalers in a period that saw the Sockeyes outshoot the Whalers by a 20-15 margin and 33-28 after two periods.

The third was a desperation period for the Whalers that would either extend the series or close out the season and advance the Sockeyes to the next round against the Delta Ice Hawks who had eliminated North Van the previous night in a four game sweep.

The third saw the Sockeyes control play in all areas on the ice with Daniel Zhou (1) getting a PP marker at 10:24 setting up one final goal with Gaving Bains (2) giving the Sockeyes a 6-1 win advancing them to the Tom Shaw Conference finals.

The Whalers used Keegan Maddocke for the last 7:12 that saw him stop 6 of 7 shots he faced while the Sockeyes Noah Stenvig played the full sixty minutes stopping 33 of the 35 shots he faced.

Three Stars:

1st      Justin Grant      (3G/0)

2md    Rajun Parmar   (0G/4A)

3rd    Noah Stenvig (SA 34/SV33)

The Sockeyes advance and face the Delta Ice Hawks in a best of seven game series with the series  as below:

Game One       Monday    March 4th,        Richmond

Game Two      Tuesday     March 5th         Ladner

Game Three     Thursday   March 7th       Richmond

Game Four       Sunday      March 10th      Ladner

Game Five        Thursday   March 14th      Richmond   (if necessary) 

Game Six          Sunday      March 17th       Ladner        (if necessary) 

Game Seven      Thursday   March 18th      Richmond  (if necessary)