The Surrey Eagles’ win streak was finally snapped at six games Friday night, after the Birds dropped a 3-1 decision to the visiting Powell River Kings at South Surrey Arena.
The loss was the Eagles’ only game on an otherwise light weekend schedule; they did play Wednesday, earning a 3-2 overtime win over Nanaimo.
The loss to Powell River Friday bumped the Eagles down into third place in the BC Hockey League’s Coastal Conference, two points back of the Kings.
The game was a very even affair, with both teams registering 31 shots on net and scoring one power-play goal apiece.
Powell River opened the scoring 3:23 into the game when Steven Schmidt beat Eagles goalie Andrew Hunt for his seventh goal of the season, but the home team knotted the game at 1-1 less than two minutes later, when defenceman Steve Koshey scored on the power play.
Evan Richardson gave the Kings the lead 15 seconds into the second period, and Cohen Adair notched an insurance marker for Powell River midway through the final period.
Koshey’s goal was his second in as many games – he now has nine on the year – as he played the role of hero against the Clippers, scoring the OT winner 1:16 into the extra period Wednesday in South Surrey.
Hunt was the other standout performer Wednesday, stopping 43 of 45 Nanaimo shots. Robert Lindores – who opened the scoring just 1:51 into the first period – and Alex Hagen also scored for the Eagles, while Dan Correale, who potted a shorthanded marker, and Josh Bryan replied for the Clippers, who sit just three games over .500, in fifth place in the conference.
The Eagles embark on a tough schedule this week, with four contests on the docket. Wednesday, they host the Clippers again, before heading out on the road for a three-games-in-three-days trek to Powell River and Vancouver Island.
Surrey plays the Kings Friday, the Victoria Grizzlies Saturday night, before finishing off the week with a 3 p.m. tilt against the first-place Cowichan Valley Capitals Sunday.