The Aldergrove Kodiaks begin their first round playoffs this week against the Mission City Outlaws, after the Outlaws finished their season three points ahead of the now-eliminated Port Moody Panthers.
The first two games are away at Mission Tuesday, Feb. 18 and home at Aldergrove the next night.
The Kodiaks finished their 44-game season at the top of the Harold Brittain conference with 72 points, just one shy of the Tom Shaw division's Richmond Sockeyes.
It was a stellar season for the Kodiaks, with 34 wins and six losses, two overtime losses and two ties.
The Kodiaks also finished with the two top shooters in the league, with Stephen Ryan's 88 points in 44 games (41 goals and 47 assists) and Adam Callegari's 70 points in 38 games (26 goals and 44 assists), and top-three goalie Jordan Liem who had 20 wins in 24 games.
The other playoff games will pit Abbotsford Pilots against the Ridge Meadows Flames, Sockeyes versus Grandview Steelers and North Vancouver Wolf Pack against the Delta Ice Hawks.
Kodiaks defeat Panthers, 7-4, in season finale
The Port Moody Panthers were already eliminated from the playoffs in their final home game against the Aldergrove Kodiaks, Saturday, Feb. 15 at Port Moody Arena, but put up a good effort anyway.
The Panthers were up 2-1 at the start of the second period, however, the Kodiaks took all three second period goals to go up 4-2. The Panthers scored twice more in the third but the Kodiaks scored three more for the 7-4 win.
Scoring for Aldergrove were Elvia Jansons in the first, Nolan Wallinger got two and Stephen Ryan (on a power play) scored one in the second, and Adam Callegari and Spencer Unger (on a power play) got one apiece before Ryan closed the scoring on a short-handed goal.
Assists were from Jeremy Lagler, Joshua Cronin, Brandon Dolby, Kodi Schwarz, Callegari (2), Spencer Unger (2), Ryan (2), and Wallinger. It was a four-point game for Ryan, who finished the season with a record-setting 88 points after 44 games, while Callegari finished second in the league with 70 points after 38 games.
The Kodiaks outshot the Panthers 46-37 and first and second stars went to Wallinger and Callegari, respectively.