February 15 Playoff Game Recap – Hawks win!

Forward Conner Merriman opened and closed the scoring for the Hawks on Tuesday night, netting the winning goal on a power play late in the third period.

 

Three power play goals helped the Delta Ice Hawks take down the Richmond Sockeyes 4-3 in Game 1 of their playoff matchup on Tuesday night.

The Hawks jumped out front quickly with two goals 32 seconds apart, the first of which was a power play goal scored by Conner Merriman. Alec Scouras strode in, taking the open space to find Merriman open in the slot for a quick wrister past Marcus Cumberworth.

Merriman assisted on the next Hawks goal, winning a scrum for the puck in the corner and getting it over to AP Jerome Maharaj. His shot was stopped, but Yuji Akimoto picked up the rebound and beat Cumberworth glove side to double the lead.

Richmond got on the board halfway through the second period, as Easton Elmer got tangled with Maharaj and went out on a breakaway, beating Justin Wagner.

The Hawks were able to restore their two-goal lead on the power play later in the frame, with Carson Hemenway going down low to Dalton MacGillivray, who shoveled it over to Kyle Kalamaras out front for his first of the playoffs.

Their lead was again cut to one though before the end of the middle period, as a Wagner clearing attempt was picked off by Gavin Bains and he was able to squeak one through the Delta goaltender.

The Sockeyes tied the game midway through the third period, when Bains got the puck away from Delta’s defense and pushed it up to Garrett Wicks. Wicks shot and Wagner just wasn’t able to squeeze the puck enough.

A late power play for the Hawks was the difference-maker, as Ryan Bal had lots of room to move up top and take a shot. Merriman was in the lane and was able to get a stick on it to redirect it in for the game winner.