Sports
Sockeyes ready for alumni
The more things change, the more they stay
the same.
It’s an old cliché to be sure, but an
accurate portrayal of the Richmond Sockeyes who again this season—even after
turning over nearly their entire roster—are challenging for Pacific Junior
Hockey League supremacy.
After netting a pair of impressive victories
at the league’s annual Winter Classic held Jan. 3 to 5 at Minoru Arenas, the
Sockeyes (24-7-2-1) followed that up with two more wins last week (11-2 and 7-3
over the Surrey Knights) to vault to within four points of first-place North
Vancouver Wolf Pack in the Tom Shaw Conference. And they still have two games
in hand on the Wolf Pack. With all the league’s teams in action at the Winter
Classic, the Sockeyes emerged with impressive wins over Abbotsford Pilots (5-0
on Jan. 4) and Aldergrove Kodiaks (4-1 on Jan. 6). Richmond is just two points
back of second-place Delta, also with two games in hand on the Ice Hawks.
As he’s been all season, goaltender Jeremy
Kelleway was instrumental in the Sockeyes’ two weekend victories. Versus
Abbotsford, he turned aside 20 shots for his sixth shutout of the season and
made 32 saves against Aldergrove to improve his league-leading goals against
average to 1.74.
This Thursday, the Sockeyes will face
expansion White Rock Whalers at 7 p.m. before facing off against the Sockeye
alumni Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Both games are at Minoru.
Featuring a collection of recent Sockeye
graduates as their opponents, many of the current Sockeyes will be
participating in the alumni game for the first time.
The annual affair is a celebration of the
Sockeyes’ success as a hockey team, dating back to the franchise’s beginning in
1972. But it also extends well beyond the game, highlighting the importance of
giving back. The alumni game is part of a series of team initiatives throughout
the year which, to date, have helped generate more than $236,000 for
scholarships awarded annually to graduating Sockeyes to assist with their
post-secondary studies.