The tunnel series is now down to a best-of-three affair after convincing road victories by each team.
Cody Fidgett recorded a hat trick as the Delta Ice Hawks cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Richmond Sockeyes on Thursday night at Minoru Arena. The result came on the heels of Richmond's dominating 6-2 win two days earlier in Ladner.
Game six of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League Tom Shaw Conference final goes Friday at Minoru (7 p.m.), before the teams shift to the Ladner Leisure Centre for game six on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
The opening 20 minutes have been vital in the series thus far. The Sockeyes came out flying in game three, jumping out to a 2-0 lead and never looking back.
It was the Ice Hawks turn to return 48 hours later as Mitch Pacey and Fidgett staked to visitors to an early two goal cushion and they carried it through to the third period. Richmond captain Patrick Hunter managed to cut the deficit in half but shorthanded goals by Fidgett and Pacey sealed the outcome.
Fidgett, a 20-year-old Seafair Minor product, now has five goals in the last two games.
The winner of this series advances to the PIJHL finals against Aldergrove or Abbotsford.
