A pair of goals from Aldergrove Kodiaks Ty Pickering and Kyle Bosko was not enough to turn the tide in the team’s drive for a spot in the PJHL Harold Brittain conference playoffs.
The Richmond Sockeyes won the game Thursday at Richmond Arena with a 5-2 score.
This leaves the Saturday night away tilt against the Mission Outlaws as the likely last hope for the Kodiaks to overtake the Outlaws. Both teams are tied at 31 points after 41 games, but the Outlaws are ahead by one win with 15 wins to the Kodiaks’ 14.
The Sockeyes outshot the Kodiaks 47-26 and scored on one of three power plays.
Kodiak Bosko scored in the third period on one of five Kodiaks’ power plays, with assists from Matt Oliver and Arjan Cheema. Kodiak Pickering opened the game’s scoring early in the first period, with assists from Bosko and John Lee.
After Saturday’s tilt versus Mission, Aldergrove’s remaining two games will be away at Langley Trappers on Feb. 7 and away at Surrey Knights on Feb. 8.
Mission’s remaining games will be both home games on Feb. 9 versus the Knights and Feb. 10 versus Ridge Meadows Flames.
The Flames and Abbotsford Pilots are currently battling for the top spot in the Harold Brittain conference, with 53 and 52 points, respectively.
The Trappers are solidly in third place with 38 points, leaving the Outlaws and Kodiaks battling for the fourth place spot. Along with their home game versus the Kodiaks Feb. 7, the Trappers’ final regular season game will be away at the Abbotsford Pilots on Feb 9.
The last regular PJHL season game before playoffs begin will be on Feb. 11, with the Sockeyes away at the Grandview Steelers.