The Aldergrove Kodiaks came away from the Winter Classic in Richmond this past weekend with a win and a loss to keep them in the running for a playoff spot.
Aldergrove defeated their arch-nemesis Abbotsford Pilots 3-2, and fell to the Langley Trappers 4-5, to give them 25 points after 33 games (11-19-1-2). This puts them just two points behind the Mission City Outlaws for the coveted fourth place spot in the PJHL’s Harold Brittain conference, and the Kodiaks have two games in hand. Langley sits in third place in the conference with 27 points after 34 games.
Kodiak Davin Padgham was first star in the Jan. 7 game against Abbotsford, for his power play goal in the second period that tied the game 2-2. Matt Oliver scored the game winner at 16:11 in the third period, and Kyle Bosko scored the first Kodiaks goal of the game.
Assists came from Oliver, Jesse Conroy, Bosko, Arjan Cheema (2) and Jordan Desrosiers.
The Kodiaks outshot the Pilots 25-16 and scored on ne of five power plays while the Pilots failed to hit the back of the net on two.
Saturday’s Winter Classic tilt against the Langley Trappers was close but the Trappers pulled ahead in the third period for the win.
Kodiak Bosko opened the scoring early in the first on a power play, assisted by Oliver and Padgham, but the Trappers responded 30 seconds later. On another power play midway through the period Kodiak David Stickney put the team up 2-1, assisted by Brendan Marfleet and Clayton Schroeder.
Kodiak Oliver scored the team’s only goal in the second period, assisted by Bosko and Tyler Cannon but the Trappers scored three to take a 4-3 lead at the start of the third period.
The Trappers put in one more for a 5-3 lead early in the third, and Kodiak Dayton Spink scored the game’s final goal for the 4-5 loss. Spink was assisted by Lucas Thompson and Bosko.
The Kodiaks outshot the Trappers 29-22 and scored on two of six power plays, while Trapper Joshua Boelema scored their only power play goal out of six. Over was the game’s second star.
The Kodiaks will be aiming for important wins this Wednesday, Jan. 10 against the Surrey Knights at Aldergrove Arena, an away at Mission Leisure Centre Saturday, Jan. 13 against the Outlaws.
The All-Star game between the Harold Brittain and Tom Shaw conferences takes place Monday, Jan. 15 at Langley’s Gorge Preston Rec Centre. The Prospects game follows on Monday, Jan. 29 at MSA Arena.
