An all-out effort by the Aldergrocve Kodiaks and the stellar performance of keeper Ross Baadsvik resulted in an unexpected overtime and shootout against the Richmond Sockeyes at Aldergrove Arena Jan. 26.
The Sockeyes would pot three of five shootout goals against Baadsvik for the 4-3 win but Baadsvik earned enthusiastic cheers and the game's first star for turning aside 72 of the Sockeyes' 75 shots in regulation and overtime play.
Richmond outshot Aldergrove almost three to one that night.
It was an exciting game to watch and the relatively few penalties resulted in only one power play goal apiece out of three for Richmond and two for Aldergrove.
Richmond opened the scoring in the first period followed by a power play score in the second, and would score their last early in the third.
After that Aldergrove took over with one at 5:36 on the power play by Ryan Veillet from Cody Hoy. Hoy would then finish off two more at 8:26 from Brendan Lamont and Colton Precourt, and again at 12:53 from Chad Veillet and Lamont.
Hoy earned the game's second star and Sockeye Sebastian Pare the third.
That night was also the first Kodiaks game for new assistant coach Tim Preston.
In the shootout Colton Precourt notched the first and only goal for thye Kodiaks, and while Baadsvik stopped the first two Sockeye shots he finally succumbed to the last three.
The single point did bump the Kodiaks up to 30 after 38 games (12-20-6), still in last place in the Harold Brittain conference, but only four behind Ridge Meadows Flames and five behind Mission Icebreakers.
The Kodiaks have eight games left in the season, with seven scheduled: away against the Abbotsford Pilots this Friday; Mission at home next Wednesday; away at Richmond Feb. 3; at home against Ridge Meadows Feb. 9; away at the Pilots Feb. 12; at home against the Pilots Feb. 16; away at Port Moody Feb. 19. There is also a home game versus Squamish Wolf Pack that must be scheduled before the end of the regular season.