The Ice Hawks won their fifth in a row on Tuesday night, taking down the Langley Trappers 6-1 in the first meeting between the two teams this season.
Remy Quintoro held the Trappers off the scoresheet for most of the game, with just one goal getting by him with less than eight minutes left in the game, and he kept the Hawks in it early when they had trouble clearing the zone.
After a slow start to the first, the Hawks went off for three goals after the halfway mark of the period. It all started with a blocked shot that went right to Conner Merriman, who somehow had the foresight to one-time a slap-pass to Mateo Sjoberg on the far side of the net for a tap-in.
The Ice Hawks went on the penalty kill shortly after that, but that didn’t hold back the offence. Merriman and Colin Jang stormed the Langley zone, with Merriman taking the puck in down the right side and passing out front for Jang for a short-handed goal past Maddox Osaka for a 2-0 Delta lead.
Carson Merriman continued his scoring ways with his team-leading fifteenth goal and lead-leaguing thirty-first point to make it 3-0. Dany Bereza bodied his defender for puck possession down low in the Trappers’ end, taking it around the net, then sliding it backward for Payton Hu. Hu sent a quick pass out front for an all-alone Merriman and he one-timed it home, ending Osaka’s night in net.
Just 49 seconds into the second period, the Hawks added to their lead. Jaren Ashbee took a shot from the point that Payton Hu sneakily tipped out front for his fourth of the season to make it 4-0 Delta.
Delta’s defence was also contributing to the offence, as Ryan Bal put up his third of the year on the board, taking an attempted clear from the Trappers and backhanding a shot through traffic past Ayodele Ogini to add to the lead.
Jordan Kirbyson got the Trappers on the board later on in the third period.
The Ice Hawks hit the road as they begin a home and home series with the North Van Wolf Pack Saturday night with the return contest Tuesday night, Nov. 7 at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
