The Richmond Sockeyes are riding a five-game win streak into the next round of their Tunnel Cup rivalry series with the Delta Ice Hawks and not standing pat either.
The Sockeyes (15-5-1-2) have not only won four straight since handing the Pacific Junior Hockey League leading Ice Hawks (23-2-0) a 3-0 defeat back on Nov. 14, they have made several player moves prior to the league-imposed Dec. 1 roster cutdown date.
The club has welcomed forwards Mitch Newsome (20), and Calder Newson (18), along with defenceman Kyle Dion (20) and goaltender Jason Mailhiot (19). To free up spots, forwards Austin Cook and Brendan Marfleet were traded to Aldergrove, while Seamus Collins has joined Chase of the Kootenay league. All three 18-year-olds will benefit from more ice time.
Mailhiot was acquired with Jacob Latrace still on the long road to recovery from a high ankle sprain. The Richmond native has been sidelined since Sept. 28 and has only begun light skating this week.
“We took Jacob off of (a player’s) card because we know each other well enough,” explained Sockeyes head coach Steve Robinson. “He is walking a tightrope as far as time goes and that injury can be tricky. From a personal side, I am cheering for him and we will see how it goes.
“I feel sad for the other guys because they wanted to be here but under the same token there is the crunch for numbers and everybody has expectations of being the team that can compete with Delta and for the Cyclone. That’s the methodology we are going with.”
Newsome has spent the past three seasons playing in the B.C. Hockey League including most recently with Coquitlam where he had nine points in 15 games. When his rights were traded to Humboldt he wished to stay in B.C. and was headed to junior “B” in Campbell River when the Sockeyes swooped in. Newson began the season in Weyburn, while Dion has been out of hockey the past two seasons after playing with Richmond as a 17-year-old.
“He has has a natural knack for the game. You could just see his progression over the three practices he skated with us,” continued Robinson. “You could also see he was a gamer who could play.”
All these moves sets up the Sockeyes for the second half of the season as they look to build momentum towards hosting the Cyclone Taylor Cup provincial championships in April. It also could help them potentially reel in the Ice Hawks. Richmond sits 11 points back of the Tom Shaw Conference frontrunners with a game in hand.
Thursday’s game (7 p.m. at Minoru) is the first of three in four nights with Richmond also heading to Abbotsford Friday and Grandview on Sunday. Delta has won four straight but have a demanding December schedule that includes six straight games against the other top five teams in the league. The season series between the rivals stands at 1-1 with two games left to play.
“What I have been telling the guys is we don’t want to give up on home ice advantage,” added Robinson. “Everyone goes through their ebbs and flows of the season but they may never. We just got to make sure we don’t leave any points on the table.
“You know they are going to come out swinging after that loss and it will bring out the best in our guys. No matter what happens and I’m sure it will be a great game.”
Icing…
• The Ice Hawks, winners of five straight since losing to Richmond, were also busy prior to the deadline — acquiring Port Moody’s leading scorer Daniel Szapkowski and signing former Sockeye forward Kyle Uy.
• Thursday’s game is the annual Teddy Bear Toss Night and all 50/50 proceeds will be donated to Richmond Cares Richmond Gives.
