Timing is everything when it comes to trying to win the 36th annual Richmond International Bantam Midget Hockey Tournament.
The Seafair Islanders finished the gruelling week with a 6-1-0 record — the best among the 20 teams in the Midget Tier One Division. Yet, it was that one blemish that kept them off the top of the podium.
The South Delta Storm snuck into the playoffs after dropping their opening round-robin game and tying another. They caught fire in the playoffs to produce three straight wins including a 4-3 overtime thriller against the Islanders in front of about 300 fans at Minoru Arena on New Year’s Eve.
The loss was Seafair’s first in 17 games — dating back to week one of regular season play in mid-November.
“At the end of the day we went 6-1 and can hold our heads high,” said Islanders head coach Steve Robinson. “We were probably the best team here but sometimes luck doesn’t go your way.
“As much as this bites right now, it will pay off in the long run. We told the boys the end goal is getting to the provincials. We are a growing team and have to keep looking at that bigger prize.”
Making the run to the Midget Tier One final at the RIBMHT is demanding as it gets.
The Islanders played seven games in six days and all were 20-minute stop time periods. They rolled to wins over Surrey (4-1), Alaska Avalanche (6-3), Saanich (2-1) and Anaheim (3-0) in round-robin play.
Seafair then had a colossal struggle with Pacific Coast league rival Vancouver Thunderbirds in the quarter-finals, needing a double overtime goal from Jordan Kojima to pull out a 2-1 victory on Friday morning.
It was another defensive struggle hours later at the Olympic Oval where the Islanders held of Chilliwack for another 2-1 triumph.
They looked to be in a heap of trouble in the gold medal game when the Storm opened up a 3-0 lead in the late stages of the second period. However, Matthew Ast answered the South Delta goal just 29 seconds later to give his team life and set the stage for a dominating final 20 minutes.
Goals by Ben Dickinson and Brandon Lum tied the game and Seafair pressed hard for the winner — firing over 40 shots at South Delta goalie Tyler McLennan.
The Storm was hanging on to the end of regulation when a boarding call with 55 seconds remaining provided a break it desperately needed. The penalty carried into the four-on-four overtime and Seafair looked like they would dodge a bullet.
However, just moments after it expired, Mike Matson got free in the slot and wired home a perfect shot to the top corner.
It was Matson’s hat trick goal to go along with one assist to secure tournament MVP honours. The 17-year-old played Major Midget last season for Greater Vancouver.
“I coached his two older brothers and know that kid well, probably even better than they know him,” said Robinson. “Once he was killing us, we made an adjustment and did a nice job. We took a deep breath after that penalty kill and he had a chance to deliver the dagger.
“I understand why he called that penalty on us when he did. But when our guy was hooked on a defensive clearance (in overtime) I don’t see how you can not call that to even it up. That’s what I had an issue with.”
Robinson is now 0-3 in RIBMHT finals during his impressive coaching career. The previous loss also came in overtime back in 2010 with Richmond Minor in the Midget Tier Two final against Calgary.
The lone other local entry to make a run towards the podium was Richmond Minor’s Bantam A1 team reaching the Bantam Tier Two semi-finals before falling 7-2 to eventual champion Portland.
It proved to be a tough road in the Major Midget Division for this year’s special guests — Hungary U16 national team. It took time for a team of 15-year-olds to get used to a more physical game on a smaller ice surface against mainly older opponents.
Hungary did turn in a strong effort in their 6-3 quarter-final loss to Everett, with the eventual champions needing an empty net goal to seal the outcome.
36TH ANNUAL
RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL
Playoff Scores
Major Midget Division
Quarter-Finals
South Island 5 Golden State 3
Guelph 6 Prince George 4
OHA Edmonton 5 North Island 2
Everett U16 6 Hungary U16 3
Semi-Finals
OHA Edmonton 4 Guelph 3
Everett U16 3 South Island 0
Championship
Everett U16 7 OHA Edmonton 2
Midget Tier One
Quarter-Finals
Seafair 2 Vancouver Thunderbirds 1 (OT)
Cloverdale 7 Saanich 3
Chilliwack 6 NSWC 3
South Delta 4 Seattle 2
Semi-Finals
Seafair 2 Chilliwack 1
South Delta 7 Cloverdale 1
Championship
South Delta 4 Seafair 3 (OT)
Midget Tier Two
Quarter-Finals
Burnaby Winter Club 5 Sunshine Coast 2
Semiahmoo 5 California Wave 2
Peninsula 10 Wenatchee 3
Portland 4 Chilliwack 3
Semi-Finals
Burnaby Winter Club 4 Semiahmoo 2
Peninsula 5 Portland 2
Championship
Burnaby Winter Club 6 Peninsula 5
Bantam Tier One
Semi-Finals
Vancouver Thunderbirds 4 Golden State 0
Vancouver Minor 2 DHA Varsity 1 (OT)
Championship
Vancouver Thunderbirds 3 Vancouver Minor 0
Bantam Tier Two
Quarter-Finals
Richmond 6 Peninsula 3
Semiahmoo 2 Wenatchee 0
North Delta 5 Golden State 1
Portland 10 Cowichan 3
Semi-Finals
Portland 7 Richmond 2
Semiahmoo 2 North Delta 1
Championship
Portland 5 Semiahmoo 1
Bantam Tier Three
Semi-Finals
Cloverdale 4 Seattle 1
Campbell River 4 Semiahmoo 3
Championship
Cloverdale 8 Campbell River 1
