Postseason play begins in PJHL
Three losses in four games to close out the Pacific Junior Hockey League season has left the North Delta Devils facing the top team in the first round of the playoffs.
The Devils dropped their third in a row last Wednesday night on the North Shore, losing 4-0 to the North Vancouver Wolf Pack, which allowed the winners to clinch third place in the Tom Shaw Conference.
In a mean-nothing game Saturday night in the Sungod Arena, the Devils completed the regular season with a 5-4 victory over the Grandview Steelers.
North Delta finished the 44-game season with a 21-18-4-1 (won-lost-overtime loss-tied) record. As the fourth-place team in the conference, the Devils will face-off on the road against the 32-8-4-0 Richmond Sockeyes tonight (Thursday) in the first game of their best-of-seven quarterfinal series.
With a third-place finish still a possibility Wednesday, the Devils were blanked by the Wolf Pack, with Cloverdale resident Braden Krogfoss making 31 saves in the North Vancouver goal for the shutout.
Tyler Read took the loss in goal for the Devils, making 27 saves on 31 shots.
Levi De Waal tallied twice to lead North Delta to the win Saturday. Josh Smith, Josh Tresevic and affiliate player Mark Pearlman also scored, with Devon Elford and Nicholas Lee credited with two assists each.
The Devils will host the second and third games of their series with the Sockeyes tomorrow night (Friday) at 8:15 p.m., and Saturday at 6:45 p.m. at Sungod.
Game four, and if necessary game five, are Wednesday and Thursday in Richmond.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.