A two-win weekend for the Surrey Eagles could have very easily ended with losses instead, but the BC Hockey League team engineered a late-game comeback in one and scored in double-overtime in another to emerge with four points.
Friday at South Surrey Arena, the Eagles fell behind the visiting Vernon Vipers 3-1 through 25 minutes – and were badly outshot in the bargain – before newcomer Brady Shaw helped launch the comeback attempt.
Shaw, a 20-year-old forward acquired Thursday in a trade with the Coquitlam Express, made it 3-2 with just 15 seconds left in the second period, and then scored 1:46 into the third to tie the game.
Defenceman Craig Wyszomirski and Demico Hannoun added third-period goals to help the Birds snare the victory.
Colton Mackie had the Eagles’ first goal, and Brett Mulcahy added two assists in the 5-3 come-from-behind win.
Michael Santaguida earned the win between the pipes for the Eagles, stopping 30 of 33 shots he faced.
Sunday’s game against the Trail Smoke Eaters – who were coming off two earlier road losses on Vancouver Island – was equally as dramatic, as the team squads traded goals back and forth.
The Smokies led 4-3 with 2:03 left in the game, when Eagles’ blue-liner Eric Chevrier tied the game and sent it to overtime.
And in the 3-on-3 second OT session, defenceman Devon Toews scored his third goal of the game to give the home team the win.
Toews also scored in the second and third periods, and added an assist, leading an offense that was keyed almost entirely from the back end – all five of the team’s goals were scored by defencemen.
In addition to Chevrier’s tying marker and Toews’ trick, Wyszomirski also found the back of the net.
Semiahmoo Minor Hockey product Mason Blacklock and Hannoun chipped in with two assists apiece, while another Semiahmoo alum, goaltender Glenn Ferguson, stopped 34 shots on net.
The two victories were the first time all season that the Eagles had finished a weekend slate above the .500 mark.
The four points also bumped them out of the Mainland Division basement, one point up on the Langley Rivermen, and just five back of the division-leading Chilliwack Chiefs.
The Eagles are back on home ice Friday night when they host the Rivermen at South Surrey Arena, and the two teams play again Saturday – this time at the Langley Events Centre.