“The Sockers win is all but guaranteed,” San Diego Sockers (8-2) announcer and media relations director Craig Elsten posted on his Facebook page last Friday night as the team drove to Las Vegas to take on the Las Vegas Knights. The Sockers had made a pact: If they beat the Knights on the road in the Western Division semi-finals of the U.S. Open Cup, they would have some fun and spend the night in Vegas. Lose against the PASL-Premier (minor league) team and they would drive up and back in the same day. It was almost a long day of driving.

Traffic is typically heavy headed into Vegas on Friday afternoons. Either no one in the Sockers organization has ever made this weekend road trip or they forgot to take traffic into consideration. The team arrived with less than half an hour prior to kickoff and were forced to take the field cold.

The usually fast paced, high scoring Sockers went scoreless in the first quarter as they used the first 15 minutes of the game to warm up their legs.

Suddenly the inspired Knights thought that they had a shot a major upset. When the teams met a year ago, the Sockers won 15-2. The huge underdogs actually had the game tied 4-4 late in the third quarter before the Sockers began to break way.

Kraig Chiles and Dan Antoniuk scored on back-to-back power plays to give San Diego a 6-4 lead. Miguel Alterado then tipped in a goal to extend the lead to 7-4 and the predicted outcome appeared to be evident.

However, the Knights valiantly fought back in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, Alterado finished the game with a hat trick, his third goal coming with just 2:58 in the fourth giving the Sockers a 10-8 lead.

In Vegas magician style, the Sockers escaped embarrassment with a 10-9 win. “Felt like we played with one foot on the field and another in the nightclub,” Elsten posted after the game. “That was not a good effort by the boys but the Sockers emerge with the win which is what matters.”

With the win the Sockers will take on the Tacoma Stars in the U.S. Open Cup Western Finals on February 5.

While the U.S. Open Cup win against the Knights does not count toward the PASL-Pro standings or statistics, the Sockers did gain ground on their divisional rivals last weekend because each of the other teams in the division suffered defeats in league play.

The Sockers are now two games ahead in the loss column in the PASL-Pro western division standings. Now they look to continue their lead as they host Revolucion Tijuana (5-5) this Saturday night at the Del Mar Arena.

It will be the third time this season the Sockers will face their geographical and divisional rivals. The Sockers are 2-0 against Tijuana this season, winning 6-5 (OT) and 6-3 with both game played south of the border.

Sockers captain Aaron Susi (sprained ankle) is questionable for this week’s game while defender Josh Barton is expected to miss at least another week with a serious concussion that he suffered two weeks ago in Tijuana.

Kickoff for this Saturday’s game against Revolucion is 6:15 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate or by calling 866-799-GOAL (4625).

PASL-Pro Western Division Standings

San Diego Sockers, 8-2

Tacoma Stars, 7-4

Revolucion Tijuana, 5-5

California Cougars, 3-9