PJHL Media
365 days later, the Ridge Meadows Flames authored the season-ending chapter they wanted and probably needed.
April 2, 2023 saw the Flames defeated by the Delta Ice Hawks in Game 7 of the Stonehouse Cup Finals. This time around, they got it right in Game 7 with a 4-1 road win over the Richmond Sockeyes to claim the franchise’s first league title since the 1997-98 season.
The Sockeyes lost just once in regulation in the regular season but Ridge Meadows managed to beat them over 60 minutes of play in both Game 6 at the Flames’ home rink and in Game 7 in Richmond.
Ridge Meadows had been sustaining damage while shorthanded in the middle games of the series as they surrendered four power-play goals over Games 4 and 5, plus two shorthanded against, but managed to flip the script in Game 7. After a scoreless first period, Theo Kochan struck for the Flames on the PP with just under four minutes to go in the second and then Jack Foster scored on the man advantage just before time expired in the middle frame to make it 2-0 Flames heading to the third.
Zack Lagrange, who assisted on the opening goal of the game and would go on to earn 1st Star on the night, made it a three-goal lead lead late in the third and, after Gavin Bains got Richmond on the board 20 seconds later, Pierce Whyte sealed the deal for the Flames, scoring an empty-netter with eight ticks remaining.
Matthew Candusso made 27 saves for the win while Noah Stenvig made 34 stops for Richmond.
Ridge Meadows will represent the PJHL at the Junior A Championship happening April 18 to 21, hosted by the KIJHL’s Kimberley Dynamiters.
