Konrad Sander's junior hockey career has reached its conclusion but the Squamish-born forward had a memorable final ride.
Sander and the Delta Ice Hawks succumbed to the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific International Junior Hockey League's (PIJHL) Tom Shaw Conference finals on March 16, losing the series in seven games.
Despite the loss, Sander said it was a fun series to be a part of.
"It was a really good series," he said. "Unfortunately, somebody had to win."
Four of the series' seven games went to overtime and Sander said the series came down to the Ice Hawks failing to capitalize on their scoring chances.
"I felt we pretty much outplayed them all series," he said. "It was just a matter of finishing. We had numerous chances but it seemed like we were always trying to play catch-up against Richmond."
Despite the loss, Sander said his final season in junior hockey was one of the most enjoyable he's ever experienced. He started the campaign on the 麻豆社国产Wolf Pack and Sander said it was a thrill to play on the local team.
"This year was awesome," he said. "I had a lot of fun in 麻豆社国产- I just wish we could have had a better year. Then I got moved to Delta and I found it was the exact same situation. I had instant chemistry with my teammates and it was great way to finish up my career, having a chance to win a championship."
It's been an interesting ride for Sander through junior hockey. He cracked the roster of the Kootenay Ice in the Western Hockey League (WHL) back in 2007, playing 12 games before moving on to the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in 2008. In 2009, he moved on to the now-defunct Burnaby Express of the BCHL before ending up with the Wolf Pack at the start of this season.
Sander had a strong season for the Pack and was named the team's lone representative in the PIJHL's all-star game in January. Before being dealt to the Ice Hawks on Jan. 10, Sander was the Pack's leading scorer, notching 37 points in 31 games.
With his junior hockey career over, Sander is looking ahead to his future and received some exciting news earlier this month.
"I went for my fitness test at the firefighter academy and learned that I was accepted," he said. "My 12-week course starts on May 2 and I'm pretty excited about it."
Sander plans to take the course offered by the justice institute in Maple Ridge and hopes to catch on with a local department after successful completion of the course.
For more information on Sander and the Ice Hawks, visit www.deltaicehawks.com.
