It was close, but still no cigar.
As the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship series progressed, the Aldergrove Kodiaks inched closer and closer to victory: losing 8-2, 5-0 and 4-2 in games one to three, respectively, against the Richmond Sockeyes.
And on Tuesday night, they had cut their margin of defeat down to a single goal, falling 2-1 at the Aldergrove Arena.
But sadly for the junior B Kodiaks, it was a best-of-seven championship series, which Richmond won in a sweep, four games to none.
And it was a pair of Langley Minor Hockey Association alums doing the damage as Danton Heinen scored twice while Daniell Lange had one assist.
Stefan Gonzeles scored for the Kodiaks.
The victory advances the Sockeyes to the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the junior B provincial championship, which will be held on Vancouver Island from April 11 to 14.
The Cup features the three junior B league champions and the host team, Comox Valley. The winner represents B.C. at the Western Canadian Cup.
