Sports
Four vying for Junior B championship
By Don Fennell
Published 4:27 PDT, Tue April 10, 2018
Three league champions and a host team will
vie for the B.C. Junior B hockey title this week in Richmond.
The Pacific Junior Hockey League will be
represented by tournament host Richmond Sockeyes and playoff champion Delta Ice
Hawks; Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League by playoff champion Campbell River
Storm; and Kootenay International Junior Hockey League champion Kimberley
Dynamiters.
Richmond Sockeyes
After defeating North Vancouver Wolf Pack in
the opening round of the playoffs, the Sockeyes were themselves eliminated by
the eventual post-season champion Delta Ice Hawks in five games. However, each
of the games was close—three decided by a single goal.
The Sockeyes were led during the regular
season by 20-year-old captain Tyler Andrews. He led the team with 34 goals and
71 points in 38 games, then added 11 points in 10 playoff games.
Delta Ice Hawks
After winning 37 of 44 regular-season games,
the Ice Hawks completed the PIJHL season by defeating Ridge Meadows Flames in
the playoff final.
Richmond’s Gary Dhaliwal (also the Ice Hawks’
captain) was second in team scoring during the regular season, netting 53
points in 42 games, and paced the club in the post-season with 19 points in 15
games.
Campbell River Storm
The Storm dominated the Vancouver Island
Junior Hockey League during the 2017-18 regular season with 78 points. They
then added the playoff banner with a thrilling seven-game final series victory
over the Saanich Braves.
Second in individual scoring during the
season with 55 points, 18-year-old Dawson Frank averaged 1.9 points per game in
the playoffs with 28 in 15 outings.
Kimberley Dynamiters
Kimberley topped the regular-season standings
with 38 wins and 78 points, then
added the playoff title by defeating Revelstoke Grizzlies in a six-game final.
Rookie Brock Palmer, 18, who was the club’s
leading scorer during the regular season with 58 points, continued his fine
play in the post-season by leading the Dynamiters with 26 points in 22 games.
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, April 12
3:30 p.m.—Delta vs. Kimberley
7:30 p.m.—Campbell River vs. Richmond
Friday, April 13
3:30 p.m.—Delta vs. Campbell River
7:30 p.m.—Kimberley vs. Richmond
Saturday, April 14
3:30 p.m.—Campbell River vs. Kimberley
7:30 p.m.—Richmond vs. Delta
Sunday, April 15
10 a.m.—Bronze medal game
1 p.m.—Gold medal game
Tickets for the 2018 Cyclone Taylor Cup
round-robin games Thursday through Saturday are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors
and students and $8 for children. Tickets for Sunday’s bronze and gold medal
games are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $10 for children.
Tournament passes are $50.
All games will also be available on webcast.
Log on to cyclonetaylorcup.ca for details.