Delta’s Carson Merriman had a hat trick in Monday night’s key 9-1 win over the Mission City Outlaws, as the Ice Hawks fight for a positioning in the playoffs.
The Delta Ice Hawks picked up an important two points on Monday night, defeating the Mission City Outlaws 9-1 at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
Delta is fighting for playoff placement with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Tom Shaw Conference standings, and won the first of their four games this week.
The first period flew by, with no goals and just one penalty called in the frame. But it didn’t stay that way, as Delta netted two goals less than two minutes apart in the second period.
Alex Lucchesi got the Hawks on the board first; after Mission won the faceoff, he stole the puck from their defenseman and squeaked one past Brian Dale, who had made 35 stops before that one got by him.
On the power play not long after that, Alec Scouras took a shot from the point and Carson Merriman was able to get his stick on it mid-air to tip in it past Dale for a 2-0 lead.
The last minute of the period saw two goals – one for each team. Delta added to their lead first, with Henry Smith sending the puck down low to Scouras, who put a shot on net, stopped by Dale, but Merriman was there to clean up the rebound.
Just 23 seconds later, Mission got their first of the night. Kyle Sackman stole the puck at the blue line before the Hawks could clear the zone, and sent it into the corner for Cayden Karcioglu. Karcioglu sent a quick pass into the slot for Joshua Romeyn, who tipped it just over Justin Wagner’s shoulder and into the back of the net, getting Mission on the board just before the end of the period.
It was all Delta in the third, as they started off the last period taking advantage of two power plays to solidify their lead, starting with a goal from Dalton MacGillivray. The Ice Hawks were getting set up when Kyle Robinson spotted MacGillivray cross-ice and sent the puck his way. A pause and a little drag were enough to fool Dale for MacGillivray’s 30th of the season.
The second power play goal was Carson Merriman’s hat trick goal, after Scouras sent the puck towards the net and Merriman picked it up loose out front of Dale. He made a quick move to net his third of the game, and 19th of the year.
The goals came fast and furious in the last five minutes of the game for the home team, including two 20 seconds apart. Dominic Passalacqua-Main, Carson Bigras, and AP Jamie Fuchs broke out for a 3-on-2. Fuchs tapped a pass back to Bigras, who sent it across to Passalacqua-Main. A quick deke and move to his backhand gave Passalacqua-Main his 11th on the year.
Fuchs picked up his second assist of the night and his PJHL career just seconds later, teaming up for a similar play with Passalacqua-Main and Carson Bigras. Fuchs sent Passalacqua-Main up the wing with the puck, and he went across the slot to Bigras for a one-time tap-in.
Delta’s final two goals came 18 seconds apart, starting with Ryan Bayley firing a shot from the point on new goaltender Max Fowle, causing a scramble out front for the rebound. JJ Milne got ahold of the puck and put it in the back of the net.
The final goal of the night came from Caden Stephenson, who picked up the puck deep in the Outlaws’ zone. He circled around into the top of the slot and fired a shot on net for the Hawks’ 9th goal of the night.
