The Grandview Steelers are one step closer to the next round of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) playoffs.
Burnaby's junior "A" club only needed one goal to take the lead in the Tom Shaw conference "survivor series," blanking White Rock 1-0 Wednesday night, Feb. 14, on home ice.
Goaltender Ronin Geraghty turned aside all 28 shots from the Whalers at Burnaby Winter Club (4990 Canada Way) en route to his second career playoff shut out — the fourth of his PJHL career, regular and postseason.
Forward Ben Ruthven scored the lone goal of the contest.
And the 20-year-old alternate captain's first-ever PJHL playoff goal was a short-handed marker, taking place just six seconds after Grandview incurred a boarding penalty.
"That first goal was huge. We just carried it for the whole game,” Ruthven said.
"Everything’s a battle. You can’t take one shift off."
Aidan Teixeira provided the assist on the ultimate game-winning goal, recorded at 14:49 of the first period.
Geraghty then stood on his head for the remainder of the game with plenty of help from his defence, stopping all 13 shots from White Rock in the second and nine in the third.
"You don’t want to be in those desperation situations," he said.
"But you got to do, what you got to do….just trying to get anything in front of that puck."
With the win, the Steelers lead the Whalers 1-0 in the best-of-three "survivor series."
Grandview will look to advance to the quarterfinal round with a win on the road at White Rock's Centennial Arena on Saturday, Feb. 17.
Puck drop goes for 7:15 p.m.
If necessary, the third and deciding match is scheduled for Family Day Monday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m., also at Centennial Arena.
The winner of the series will move on to face the top-seeded Richmond Sockeyes.
