If Rudi Thorsteinson can pick up where he left off last spring, the Richmond Sockeyes will have an excellent chance to repeat as Pacific International Junior Hockey League champions.
After a solid regular season that saw the 19-year-old Richmond Minor product produce 34 points in 43 games, Thorsteinson was nothing short of spectacular in the playoffs, compiling 27 points in just 18 games to lead the Sockeyes to their second title in three years.
He will once again be playing alongside Jeremy Hamaguchi when Richmond opens the 2011-12 campaign tomorrow night against Mission, while his other linemate, Jake Roder, has left the team to focus on school.
"It all started when I was playing with them," explained Thorsteinson of his late season scoring blitz. "It just started to click for us and the puck was going into the net. Sometimes it goes in for you and sometimes it doesn't. Luckily it was at the right time of the year for us."
Thorsteinson didn't crack the Sockeyes roster until last season but needed no introductions upon his arrival as a full-time player. He not only had been used as an affiliate for the past two seasons, his older brother Sean also enjoyed a number of productive years with the club. The comfortable surroundings and being a fulltime student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University added up to him not being anxious to take his game to a higher level of junior hockey.
"I didn't go to any camps but wasn't looking for anything either," he said. "Right now I'm taking four classes and (junior B) is a good balance for me. I'm hoping to be one of the top players on this team and in the league.
I know (the coaches) think I have the potential to do it."
Sockeyes head coach Judd Lambert watched Thorsteinson's game blossom in the late stages of the regular season and will be counting on one his top snipers to be producing right out of the gate.
"I think he just got some confidence," said Lambert. "The last three or four weeks of the season he was putting the puck in the net a lot. His confidence and comfort level raised. He definitely has the ability (to keep it going) and he is one of those players we expect will come through for us."
As much as Thorsteinson would love to challenge for the league scoring title, last year's Cyclone Taylor Cup proved it will take balanced scoring to represent B.C. at the Western Canadian Championships.
"The biggest thing is you need four lines that can score," he added. "I think if we had another line going we could have won it all.
"I do think we are stronger than we were last year.
There is just way more skill here (in camp). It doesn't necessarily mean we will win more games but the talent is there."
