Sports
Richmond Sockeyes forward Brendan Marfleet fends off a Delta Ice Hawk during an exhibition season tilt. The two teams meet in an early Pacific Junior Hockey League regular-season game Thursday at 7 p.m. at Minoru Arenas.
Photo by Chung Chow
Sockeyes urged to stay on course
The fact Richmond Sockeyes sport a .500
record (1-1-0-1) after their first three games is certainly no cause for panic.
But it is an opportunity to recognize, and correct, some potentially bad
habits.
A visit by arch-rival Delta Ice Hawks (3-0)
to Minoru Arenas on Thursday (7 p.m. face-off) presents a unique opportunity. A
victory would get the Sockeyes back on the winning side of the ledger and help
restore some of their confidence, yet their level of play is perhaps even more
important.
“We have the talent and desire, but we have
to make sure we don’t beat ourselves,” says coach Steve Robinson. “You can’t
just show up and expect to win in (the Pacific Junior Hockey League). The teams
are too good.”
Robinson says the Sockeyes have made a few
too many mistakes in their own zone, but is stressing to his players the need
to stay on task.
“Uncertainty brings mistakes, and hockey has
to be instinctive which you build in practice,” he explains. “I think sometimes
we feel we’ve got to pressure (the opposition) while I’m saying read and react
(to the play).”
One constant bright light during the Sockeyes’
somewhat slow start has been the play of captain Tyler Andrews. Registering
nearly four points a game, he leads the league in scoring with 11 points in
three games. What’s more impressive though is Andrews, who is the undisputed
leader in the dressing room as well as on the ice, has almost single-handedly
attempted to carry his club on his back in the last two games.
After the Sockeyes gave up the first four
goals to fall behind 4-0 at the Mission City Outlaws on Saturday, Andrews
proceeded to score late in the second period and early in the third period to
pull his team within a pair of goals in an eventual 5-3 loss.
Two days earlier, after the Sockeyes fell
behind 3-0 after two periods, Andrews scored a natural hat trick (three
consecutive goals) to tie the game which Richmond ultimately lost in overtime.
EYE BROWSE: The Sockeyes will wear pink socks
during the month of October to show support for breast cancer.
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