The Aldergrove Kodiaks were the lone team to beat the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, but while the Nitehawks took home the gold medal, the Kodiaks finished in fourth place.
The two teams were competing in Creston at the Cyclone Taylor Cup championships, site of the junior B provincial hockey championships.
Aldergrove went 1-2 in round robin but were just one goal away from playing for the gold medal.
The team lost 2-0 to the host Creston Valley Thundercats on April 6 but bounced back with a huge 5-3 win over the KIJHL champion Nitehawks the following night.
With all three teams sitting with a 1-1 record, the Kodiaks were a victory away from playing for the championship. Unfortunately, Aldergrove could not hold a 1-0 lead, falling 2-1 in overtime to the VIJHL champion Cowichan Valley Storm. The Kodiaks lost despite a sparkling 44-save performance from Dawson Rodin.
But in the bronze medal game, the Thundercats once again denied the Aldergrove offence, winning bronze by a 3-0 score.
Quinncy Leroux led Aldergrove in scoring with two goals and three points as the Kodiaks managed just six goals over the four games.
Leroux was one of eight local players on the Kodiaks’ roster, alongside Kurt Klimek, Eric Callegari, Clayton Schroeder, Ryleigh Anderson, Jeremy Lagler, and Aldergrove’s Elijah Vilio and Ryan Martel.
