DELTA, B.C. – While the Delta Ice Hawks laid dormant for the last ten days, the Port Coquitlam Trailblazers locked horns with the North Vancouver Wolf Pack, ultimately victorious in their Survivor Series play-in round. The Trailblazers made short work of their opponents, surprising the hockey world as they contained the Wolf Pack’s top guns and advanced to take on the Ice Hawks. Meanwhile, Delta scorched a hole through the Port Moody Panthers to close out the regular season, raining hellfire down in a 15-0 shellacking.
Coach Steve Robinson tapped veteran Hawks netminder Merik Erickson as his starter for the playoffs, matched up against his Port Coquitlam counterpart Keiran Caughran. A staggered pair of penalties opened the scoresheet, with Ice Hawks forward Declan Warburton sent off for cross-checking, followed nearly a minute later by Trailblazers forward and captain Markus Jack dispatched for tripping. With additional space due to four-on-four play, Delta’s Colin Jang earned the distinction of opening the scoring for the series, assisted by Tye Hemenway and Evan Fedele. Neither team was able to capitalize on their abbreviated power play opportunities. Newly-minted alternate captain Grady Lenton made a series of slick moves, stripping Trailblazers defenceman Tait Humphries of the puck before wheeling in on net and sniping his shot past Caughran. Fellow alternate captain Nick Goyer found himself in the sin bin, his infraction was for slashing. The Ice Hawks ramped up the physicality, with hard hits and harder skating in all situations. Lenton, streaking in on net, wired a shot on goal that pinged off the crossbar to the dismay of the Delta faithful. Mateo Sjoberg followed up by gathering a rebound and trying to catch Caughran out of position, but the goalie in purple and gold got across in time to swallow the puck. Up by two, the Ice Hawks closed out the first period with a tentative confidence.
Port Coquitlam found their groove in the early stages of the second period, scoring only fifteen seconds into the period via leading scorer Matthew Biros and his fifth goal of the postseason. Next up to bat, Trailblazers forward Charlie Gardiner pulled his team even with their second goal in 89 seconds, likewise his second goal of the playoffs. Delta found themselves in penalty trouble through the first half of the middle frame, with Fedele called for checking to the head. Later on, Danylo Bereza joined the march to the box as he was assessed a cross-checking call, met twelve seconds later by Goyer whose clearing attempt went over the glass and into the net for a delay of game call. Port Coquitlam scored on their lengthy 5-on-3 chance, with Braeden Wynne’s shot from the point zooming past Erickson and springing Bereza from the penalty box 11 seconds early. Trailblazers forward and trade deadline acquisition Noah Iacutone was the next to sit, on a cross-checking infraction. The Hawks threw plenty of heat towards Caughran but could not convert, continuing to trail 3-2. Delta got their breakthrough moment, as Goyer got his first goal of postseason play 23 seconds after Iacutone exited the box. Erickson was kept busy as the daylight faded on the second period, facing down high-danger chances from the Trailblazers and turning them away with ease, allowing his forwards to carry the puck back to Port Coquitlam’s zone. The teams skated to the intermission tied, 3-3.
Port Coquitlam commanded much of the start of the third period, though both sides struggled with puck control on the still-freezing ice surface. Hawks d-man Owen Cooper completed a stellar play, powering the puck past Caughran to bring Delta back to the lead. The Ice Hawks regained control and their two-goal lead via Lenton’s second of the night, cleaning up a hard shot from affiliate defenceman Aaron Zulinick. Goyer and Iacutone engaged in a spirited scrap, both players energizing their teams with the tilt. Powering through the chaos, Warburton scored a massive goal to put the Hawks up 6-3. Humphries was ejected from the game on a five-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct on the same stoppage, a penalty that would eventually be served by Cam Trolland. Delta scored once more, this time on a delayed penalty, with Lucas Jakubec scoring the fourth unanswered goal of the period before skating off on an unsportsmanlike conduct minor. A rollicking and chaotic third period settled into a relative calm, though Delta continued their push for dominance and Port Coquitlam was mostly playing for pride in a contest that suddenly grew into a mild rout. The Delta Ice Hawks claimed victory in the first game of the series, a 7-3 win on home ice.
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NOTABLE NOTES
• Affiliate defender Aaron Zulinick, who made his Ice Hawks debut in White Rock to end the regular season, suited up once again and was in the starting lineup alongside Hawks captain Tye Hemenway.
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THREE STARS
• Port Coquitlam Trailblazers forward Matthew Biros was the rear-admiral of the Trailblazers’ strong second period, scoring his fifth goal of the postseason and adding an assist for third-star recognition.
• Delta Ice Hawks forward Colin Jang busted the doors off the series, scoring the first goal and adding an assist on Warburton’s goal to earn second-star honours.
• Delta Ice Hawks forward Grady Lenton did Grady Lenton things, scoring two seismic goals and mixing in an assist for good measure, earning first-star accolades in the winning effort.
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STONEHOUSE CUP PLAYOFF SERIES SCHEDULE
• Game 1 @ Delta: 7-3 W, DEL leads 1-0
• Game 2 @ Port Coquitlam: Friday, February 21st, 7:00 PM @ Jon Baillie Arena
• Game 3 @ Port Coquitlam: Sunday, February 23rd, 2:30 PM @ Jon Baillie Arena
• Game 4 @ Delta: Tuesday, February 25th, 7:35 PM @ Ladner Leisure Centre
• Game 5*: TBD
• Game 6*: TBD
• Game 7*: TBD
*=If necessary
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