Sports
Sockeyes gear up for Winter Classic
Every year, since debuting as part of its
50th anniversary celebrations in 2016, the Pacific Junior Hockey League has
hosted a Winter Classic. The three-day event is an opportunity for the 12 teams
to showcase their wealth of talented players to coaches and scouts from Junior
A, Major Junior and university programs.
Last year, the Richmond Sockeyes, which
annually host the in-league competition won both their games during the Winter
Classic and went on to net the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial Junior B
championship. They’d love nothing more than to repeat the feat, using the
Winter Classic Jan. 4 to 6 at Minoru Arenas to help springboard them forward.
After a torrid start to the 2018-19 season, the
Sockeyes—a team loaded with first-year juniors—has settled down and currently
sits third in the Tom Shaw Conference with a 19-7-2-1 record. While those
numbers are impressive, the North Vancouver Wolf Pack and Delta Ice Hawks (who
opposed the Sockeyes in last year’s provincial final) boast even more
impressive stats. The Wolf Pack sport a league-best 52 points (26-6-0), while
the Ice Hawks are second with 45 points (20-6-2-3).
Delta went 1-1 at the 2018 Winter Classic,
losing 2-1 in overtime to North Vancouver. Grandview Steelers, Langley
Trappers, Mission City Outlaws and Aldergrove Kodiaks all went 1-1, while
Surrey Knights, Ridge Meadows Flames, Abbotsford Pilots and Port Moody Panthers
were 0-2.
This year, the expansion White Rock Whalers
(11-17-0-2) will be part of the action. The first-year club is scheduled to
face North Vancouver Saturday, Jan. 5 at 1 p.m. and Port Moody at 10 a.m.
Sunday, Jan. 6.
The remaining schedule is as follows:
Friday, Jan. 4:
10 a.m., Ridge Meadows vs. Langley
1 p.m., Surrey vs. Mission City
4 p.m., Port Moody vs. North Vancouver
7 p.m., Richmond vs. Abbotsford
Saturday, Jan. 5:
10 a.m., Mission vs. Grandview
4 p.m., Abbotsford vs. Ridge Meadows
7 p.m., Delta vs. Aldergrove
Sunday, Jan. 6:
1 p.m., Grandview vs. Surrey
4 p.m., Langley vs. Delta
7 p.m., Aldergrove vs. Richmond