Surrey Knights were eliminated from PJHL junior hockey playoffs Friday (Feb. 28) after a 4-1 series loss to the league-leading Ridge Meadows Flames, who clinched with a home-ice win.
The night before (Thursday), Surrey rallied for a home-ice win of their own, 4-3, to avoid a sweep in the Best of 7 series.
In North Surrey, the Knights stormed to a 4-0 lead, with two power-play goals from Bronson Sales and singles from Jackson Jesson and Parkor Sarai, before the Flames scored three to make it interesting. Surrey goalie Koen St. Hilaire stopped 35 of 38 shots for the win.
In Maple Ridge the following night, Surrey couldn't handle the Ridge Meadows attack and fell 6-1. Sales scored the lone Knights goal past the Flames' North Delta-raised goaltender, Matthew Candusso, who stopped 17 of 18 shots in the series-clinching game and posted a pair of shutouts earlier in the series.
Prior to Game 4 in Surrey, the Flames torched the Knights by scores of 4-0, 5-3 and 2-0, with Brendan Kwan, Bronson Sales and Parkor Sarai scoring for Surrey in Game 2, played at North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex.
Earlier in the month, with a double-overtime victory over Langley Trappers on Valentine's night, the Andy Liboiron-coached Knights won their first PJHL playoff series since the franchise moved to Surrey nearly a decade ago.
Surrey's dramatic win in Langley set up their series with Ridge Meadows, a team that finished 50 points atop the Knights in the Harold Brittain Conference this season.
This week in the PJHL, one conference final sees Ridge Meadows battle Chilliwack Jets, while Delta Ice Hawks and Richmond Sockeyes renew their rivalry in the other. The series winners will compete for the league's Stonehouse Cup.
