The Mission City Outlaws took down the top team in the Harold Brittain conference, and the Aldergrove Kodiaks are next.
Mission completed its 4-1 series win over the first place Langley Trappers on Feb. 20, stunning the conference’s top team with a 5-2 win in game five in Langley.
The Outlaws led 2-0 after one thanks to goals from Dylan Stoltz and Dylan Tonks, but that lead evaporated early into in the second as the Trappers tied the game at two by 3:20 of the second period. The Outlaws grabbed the lead back when Joshua Romeyn scored a shorthanded goal at 5:42 of the second.
The third period was all Mission as Chase Newman and Matthew Konrad made it a 5-2 final. Outlaws goalie Isaac Elias, who entered the game after Daniel Zuvic was pulled in the second period, made all 21 saves he faced to earn the win.
Thursday’s win eliminated the Trappers from the playoffs, and means Mission will now take on the Aldergrove Kodiaks. That series started on Wednesday night in Aldergrove.
The Kodiaks swept the Ridge Meadows Flames in round one of the Pacific Junior Hockey League playoffs.
Mission and Aldergrove split the season series 2-2, with the Kodiaks most recently beating Mission 4-2 at the MLC on Feb. 1.
Forward Carson Preston had a great opening round series against the Flames, collecting six points in four games. Kodiaks forward Tyler Cannon also led the team with three goals. Cannon was the Kodiaks top scorer during the regular season with 39 points in 44 games.
Kodiaks goalie Dylan Black was solid against the Flames, allowing just 11 goals in the four games and recording a .919 save percentage.
Mission will have to rely on Matthew Konrad and Justin Plett, who are ranked second and third in playoff scoring. Konrad collected 12 points in the Outlaws five games, while Plett added 10.
Outlaws goalie Isaac Elias won three games and allowed just seven goals in those appearances in round one. He also recorded a save percentage of .909.
Game two of the series occurred on Thursday night, with game three shifting to Mission for Saturday. Face-off at the MLC is set for 6:45 p.m.
Game four also occurs in Mission on Monday night at 8:15 p.m. Game five, if necessary, is set for Wednesday night in Aldergrove. Game six, if needed, is in Mission on Saturday at 6:45 p.m. The seventh and final game, if necessary, occurs on Wednesday night in Aldergrove.
The Tom Shaw conference final sees the North Vancouver Wolf Pack battle the Grandview Steelers.