Sockeyes capture fifth Cyclone Cup; Rebels rally to claim bronze
By The Nelson Daily Sports
In the end a team that had won four provincial championships was clearly the best team.
The Richmond Sockeyes scored four goals in the second period to dump the Victoria Cougars 4-1 to clinch the 2013 Fred “Cyclone” Taylor Cup Sunday at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
The Pacific Junior League champions won its fifth Cyclone Taylor Cup to go with past titles from 2009, 2004, 2003 and 1992.
In 2009 Richmond beat Nelson Leafs in the Cyclone Final.
The Castlegar Rebels defeated host Comox Valley 5-4 to win the bronze medal.
The Rebels finished the round robin with a 1-2 mark.
Trailing 1-0 after the opening period the Sockeyes went to work scoring four times in an 11-minute span.
Richmond out shot the Cougars 25-18 in the game.
The Sockeyes advance to the Keystone Cup Western Canadian championships April 17-21 in St. Malo, Man.
In the bronze medal match, the Rebels, still smarting from a 3-2 loss Saturday against the Sockeyes, started out slow as Comox Valley built a 3-0 lead six minutes into the contest.
But goals by Jamie Vlanich, his first of two in the contest, and Kody Disher started the comeback for Castlegar.
Vlanich, Erik Alden and Travis Wellman, the latter two coming on the power play in the second period, gave Castlegar a 5-3 lead after 40 minutes.
Castlegar then kept up the pressure on the Glacier Kings to secure the bronze medal.
The Rebels out shot the Kings 47-21 to make a winner out of netminder Connor Beauchamp.
Some Junior B grads who have gone on to successful careers in the National Hockey League include the likes of Jamie Benn, Ryan O’Byrne, Matt Irwin, Clayton Stoner, Shea Weber, Andrew Ladd, Karl Alzner, Colton Gillies, Milan Lucic, Kyle Turris, Jason Garrison, Barret Jackman, Brad Larsen of the Nelson Leafs and Brent Seabrook.
