The Richmond Sockeyes got in a little extra work prior to their big game with the North Vancouver Wolf Pack tonight at Minoru Arenas.
The Pacific Junior Hockey League club were welcomed to the Cambie Firehall on Wednesday night for its Second Annual Firefighters Combat Challenge. Richmond Firefighters put the players a through course where they were individually timed.
Craig Schouten may have a future in the profession as the sophomore sniper won the event for the second straight year with a clocking of one minute and 10 seconds.
Schouten and his teammates get back to work tonight (7 p.m.) in a key early season battle between the league’s last two unbeaten teams. The defending champion Wolf Pack bring a 7-0-0 record to town while the Sockeyes are at 6-0-0.
It’s the first of four meetings this season with the winner being a good bet to have home ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The clubs could very well see each other in the second round after the league governors opted to return to the conference playoff format this season. Last year it was top eight overall.
