The Abbotsford Pilots eliminated the Ridge Meadows Flames from the Pacific Junior Hockey League playoffs on Tuesday night.
The Pilots won game five of the best-of-five Junior B series by a score of 5-2 at MSA Arena in Abbotsford. The Flames had a 4-3 overtime loss in game one, and if that result had been reversed they might have made it a series. However, they were outscored by an aggregate of 23-12 over the five games.
On Tuesday night Jake Holland had a goal and an assist for the Flames, and Travis Oddy also scored.
The Pilots enjoyed an improbable 10-1 edge in power play opportunities, leading to a 55-23 advantage in shots on goal, and an easy win.
Oddy, the team captain, was the team’s playoff scoring leader with eight points on four goals and four assists. Joe Olson was second with four assists.
The Pilots will now advance to play the Aldergrove Kodiaks, who swept the Mission City Outlaws, in the Harold Brittain Conference finals. The Richmond Sockeyes, reigning PJHL champions, also advance, and will face either North Vancouver or Delta in the Shaw Conference final. Those teams are tied 2-2 in their series.
The Pilots will host the Western Canadian Junior B Championship tournament, the Keystone Cup, on April 17-20.
