The Abbotsford Pilots season is over.
The Pacific Junior Hockey League club was sent packing on Sunday, after falling 4-3 to the Langley Trappers in overtime in game six of the first round of the playoffs.
Langley eliminated the Pilots 4-2 in the series with the win.
Abbotsford led for the majority of the game, holding 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 leads at different points of the game, but the Trappers refused to go away.
Langley’s Casey Whintors was the overtime hero, scoring on the power play at 3:54 of the extra frame to send the Trappers to round two.
Abbotsford got goals from Savhan Gill, Noah Wiebe and Roy McClure. Langley replied with goals from Whintors (two), Brendan O’Grady and Adam Nobes.
Trappers goalie Kristian Lyon had another strong game in goal, making 39 saves in the win.
One of the big stories of the series was the Pilots inability to score on the power play. Abbotsford went just 3/46 with the man advantage over the six games, by far the worst of any playoff team. The penalty kill was also poor, as the club allowed the most goals shorthanded of all playoff teams with 12.
The series saw Abbotsford start off hot, winning the first two games, but then drop four in a row.
Sunday’s game was the final junior game for aged out players Jamie Housch, McClure, Cameron Obcena, Thomas Pickering, Baylee Wright, Jacob De Waal, Brady Morton, Justin Peaker, Tyler Wickman and Wiebe.
We would like to say thank-you and good luck to our players aging out.
Jamie Housch, Roy McClure, Cameron Obcena, Thomas Pickering, Baylee Wright, Jacob De Waal, Brady Morton, Justin Peaker, Tyler Wickman & Noah Wiebe. pic.twitter.com/ioBxGWwD95— Abbotsford Pilots (@AbbyPilots) February 25, 2019
Wright waves farewell to the league that, earlier this month, he established a new single-season scoring record with 125 points. The departing Pilots captain had a strong series against the Trappers, collecting eight points, but he was the only Abbotsford player to average more than a point a game.
The Trappers join the North Vancouver Wolf Pack and the Grandview Steelers as PJHL teams that have advanced to round two.
