The Grandview Steelers have earned their spot in the 2024 Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playoffs for a second consecutive season.
The Burnaby junior "A" hockey club is set to face-off against their divisional-rivals, the White Rock Whalers, in the opening round starting Wednesday, Feb. 14.
The winner of the best-of-three "survivor series" will play the PJHL league-champion Richmond Sockeyes in the quarterfinals.
Grandview capped off its 2023-24 regular season with a 4-3 overtime victory on Sunday, Feb. 11, on home ice over the Port Moody Panthers. Graduating athlete Steven Konechny scored a hat trick, including the game-winner.
"It's huge. We need this going into playoffs — we need the energy, we need the momentum, we just need that confidence," Konechny said in a team release.
The victory also marked the 100th PJHL game for defenceman Conner Nelles.
The Steelers' final 48-game record was 24-22-0-2, including 12-11-0-1 in their own barn, which was good enough for fifth in the Tom Shaw conference.
Forward Tanner Milne finished with most points for Grandview with 48 points in 41 games, including a team-high 26 goals — 13th among the league's top players.
Defenceman Cameron Northard led the Steelers with 28 assists.
Goaltender Ronin Geraghty finished with a 13-9-0-1 record in 25 games played, including one shutout.
Grandview will host the first of the three-games against White Rock on Wednesday, 7:15 p.m. at the Burnaby Winter Club (4990 Canada Way).
The Whalers will host game two at Centennial Arena on Saturday, Feb. 17, also at 7:15 p.m. If necessary, game three will be played in White Rock on Family Day Monday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m.
