The last time the Ridge Meadows Flames advanced to the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship final, Bayne Ryshak was eight years old, probably playing hockey in his driveway, enjoying spring break.
That was 1998, and Ryshak, now the head coach of the local junior B team, was still learning to skate.
The Flames advanced to the PJHL championship final for the first time since that year on Saturday with a 5-2 win at home over the Abbotsford Pilots.
Trailing 1-0, Jarod McKay scored, from Liam Evenson, with 35 seconds left in the first period. Then Joshua Gibbons, from Ryley Lanthier, gave the Flames a 2-1 lead early in the second.
Ryan Wellburn, from Andrew Strelezki, broke a 2-2 tie with eight seconds left in the second period on a power play, and that goal stood as the game winner.
Kyle Davis, from Quenton Magnuson, put the Flames ahead 4-2 just 20 seconds into the third.
Strelezki, from Jonah Lige and Taylor Seganfreddo, capped the scoring with a goal later in the final frame.
Paul Tucek won his eighth game of the postseason with a 33-save effort.
Wow what a series. So proud of numerous guys for stepping up at the right time and for our leaders guiding the fellas. All the credit to the @AbbyPilots for a hard fought series. Kudos to their 20’s and all the best in their futures. Onto the ship! 🚢🔥#efn #forthe20‘s pic.twitter.com/8tpZz2PIW0
— Bayne Ryshak (@baynetrayne) March 11, 2018
Ryshak said goaltending was a difference in the series.
“Our goaltender outperformed their goaltender.”
He figures goaltending will be key in the final series, as well.
The Flames won the Harold Brittain Conference finals 4-1 and will now face the Shaw Conference winner, the Delta Ice Hawks.
Sunday in Ladner, the Ice Hawks advanced to the PJHL final with a 2-1 victory over the Richmond Sockeyes. Delta won the best-of-seven Shaw Conference final 4-1.
Delta finished first overall in the regular season with 77 points. The Ice Hawks’ goaltending tandem of Jordan Naylor and Jordy Engleson topped the PJHL in goals-against average and save percentage. They allowed just 79 goals all season, 45 fewer than the team with the next least.
Delta also led the league with 237 goals for, for a plus-158 differential.
The Flames’ goal differential was plus-49, good enough to lead their conference.
The Flames went 0-4 against the Ice Hawks during the regular season, but three of those games were close, including a 3-2 defeat in their last meeting before Christmas, when Ridge had just 12 players.
“We match up against them really well,” Ryshak said. “We were one of the only teams to give them a run for their money.”
He added that Delta moves the puck well, skates well and has the best goaltending in the league.
But he won’t let the Flames sit back and defend.
“I’d rather match fire with fire,” Ryshak said.
“We’re the highest scoring team in the playoffs for a reason.”
The Flames were still missing seven players due to injury on Saturday, but Ryshak figure to have everyone close to healthy enough to play when the final series starts next week. Dates and times have not yet been determined.
On Friday, Wellburn scored his second goal of the game in overtime as the Flames defeated the Pilots 6-5 in Abbotsford to take Game 4.
Abbotsford led 1-0 after the first period on Friday. Strelezki, from Halen Cordoni and Seganfreddo, tied the game in the second. Then Brett Didyk, from Magnuson, put the Flames up 2-1.
But Abbotsford scored twice before the end of the second frame to take a 3-2 lead.
Strelezki, from Gibbons, knotted the scored again early in the third.
Then the fun began.
Wellburn, from Evenson and McKay, netted his first for a 4-3 lead.
Baylee Wright responded for Abby less than a minute later.
Lanthier restored the Flames’ one-goal lead with a powerplay marker, from Magnuson and Strelezki, at 13:21 of the third.
But with 13 seconds left, Jacob De Waal scored for the Pilots, forcing overtime.
Wellburn won it, though, scoring unassisted at 2:40 of the extra frame.
Tucek made 40 saves for the win, as Abby outshot the Flames 45-26.
