Hawks slide closer to playoffs
They dropped one position in the standings, but the Valley West Hawks actually improved their playoff hopes after a split of two games last week.
The Hawks defeated the Vancouver Canadians 3-1 in their BC Hockey Major Midget League game Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre, then fell 5-3 in a rematch Sunday morning in Ladner.
The Hawks entered the weekend three points back of both the Fraser Valley Bruins and North Island Silvertips in the race for sixth place in the 11-team provincial under-18 league. The Silvertips lost twice, and are now in seventh place with 36 points, one better than the Hawks. Fraser Valley won twice, and leapfrogged both teams to move into sixth place with 37 points.
What is a benefit to the Hawks, now at 16-17-3 (won-lost-tied), is the schedule remaining over the final two weekends of the season.
Valley West visits the 4-28-4 Kootenay Ice for two games next weekend in Castlegar, then host the 3-26-7 South Island Thunderbirds Mar. 3-4 at the Langley Sportsplex. Two of the three South Island victories were over the Ice, while Kootenay had defeated the Thunderbirds once.
Ram Brar and Mitchell Friesen of Surrey, as well as Langley’s Jordan Klimek, scored Saturday on home ice. After a scoreless first period, the teams were tied 1-1 after 40 minutes.
Sixteen hours later in Ladner, the Hawks fell behind 2-0 after the first period, and although pulled to within a goal on three occasions, each Valley West goal was answered by a Canadians score.
Danton Heinen and Jacob Taylor of Langley, and White Rock’s Matthew Cox were the Hawks goal scorers.
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