The Surrey Eagles have moved into third place in the BC Hockey League’s Mainland Division, after picking up three points out of a possible four on a weekend road trip.
On Friday, the South Surrey team exploded offensively en route to a 7-3 win over the West Kelowna Warriors, and a day later in Washington picked up a single point in a 4-3 overtime loss against the Wenatchee Wild.
The Eagles now have a record of 18-20-3-4 (win-loss-overtime loss-shootout loss), which is good for 43 points – two more than the Langley Rivermen, who sit fourth.
“It feels good right now but we understand Langley still has a game in hand on us and it’s just a (two)-point advantage,” said Eagles head coach Cam Keith after Friday’s win.
The goal scoring was spread around in the win, with seven different players scoring goals. However, the line of Christophe Tellier, Gabe Schovanek and Hudson Schandor were the offensive catalysts. Tellier – who leads the team in scoring with 53 points in 45 games – had a six-point night, adding five assists to his goal, which came early in the third period.
Schovanek, meanwhile, had a goal and four assists, while Schandor had one goal and two helpers.
“I think every one of them touched the puck on every goal they scored. It was never an individual effort that created a goal, it was just one beautiful tic-tac-toe after another,” Keith said. “Every one of them was distributing the puck and that’s why they had so success tonight.”
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New netminder Reece Klassen – who joined the team from the Western Hockey League at the trade deadline – was also steady between the pipes, stopping 26 shots en route to his third win with his new club. His arrival came at the perfect time, as regular starter Tommy Scarfone has been sidelined with an injury recently.
Scarfone – who has been as instrumental as any player in the team’s recent run of success – is expected to return to the lineup this weekend. according to a note on the team’s website.
On Saturday, in front of an announced crowd of more than 3,200 fans at Wenatchee’s Town Toyota Center, the Eagles picked up a single point, and nearly returned home with the win in regulation time. The Birds led 3-2 midway through the third period, until Wenatchee’s Sam Morton tied the scored with his seventh marker of the season and second of the game.
Wenatchee’s Nick Cafarelli gave his team the win with an overtime goal 2:58 into the extra frame.
Surrey’s goals were scored by Tellier, who had two against his former team – he was traded to Surrey last summer – and defenceman Brendan Kim, who notched his first of the season.
Schandor also picked up an assist on Tellier’s second goal, giving the team captain 100 career BCHL points.
Congratulations to our captain @HSchandor on recording his 100th career #BCHL point!! Great job Hudson!!! #SoarWithUs @SASilverbacks @UConnMHOC pic.twitter.com/96Lrm7s1cN
— Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles) January 19, 2020
After playing much of this month on the road – the team’s last home game was Jan. 5 – the Eagles return for two games at South Surrey Arena this weekend, though they are sandwiched on either side of a one-game journey to Merritt.
On Friday, the Eagles host the Prince George Spruce Kings, and on Saturday will head north to play the Centennials. On Sunday, they’ll wrap up the three-games-in-three-days schedule with a 4 p.m. home game against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
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