RECAP: Eagles held to two goals in loss to Chilliwack

By: Isabella Urbani                                                                                                                 PHOTO: Ben Hrncirik (ben.creates_)

 

SURREY – The Surrey Eagles (18-11-3-0), fourth in the Coastal Conference faced off against the conference-leading Chilliwack Chiefs (21-7-3-0) in the first game of a home/away back-to-back, as a handful of points separate the teams. A week before their matchup, Surrey and Chilliwack secured two points with victories of three goals against the Prince George Spruce Kings (4-1 Surrey; 5-2 Chilliwack). Back in November, Chilliwack stole a win from the Eagles at home, responding to three answered Surrey goals with three unanswered goals of their own, including the overtime winner. 

However, it was all Chilliwack on Friday night, starting with a goal 3:16 seconds into the first period, and six more thereafter. A shot on a nice end-to-end rush by the Chiefs’ Nathan Morin made its way into the back of the net after banking off Surrey goalie Aidan Fischer’s stick on the initial opportunity. 1-0 Chilliwack. The Chiefs’ near-perfect record after scoring the game’s first goal was strengthened by Chilliwack forward Connor Dick ripping it five-hole on a 2-on-1 following a turnover in the neutral zone, doubling the lead with less than thirty seconds remaining in the period. 2-0 Chilliwack. Shots 15-8 Chilliwack. 

The Chiefs continued to lead the score and shots in the second period. Nico Grabas cleaned up a loose puck in the crease right after the Eagles killed off their first penalty of the night to open the scoring in the period and give Chilliwack a 3-0 lead. The final seven minutes of the period saw three goals scored — two by Chilliwack — starting with a short-side wrist shot by Brendyn Van Oene. 4-0 Chilliwack.

Miles Burgin responded with his 11th goal of the season for Surrey 30 seconds later in an impressive display of moves after receiving a pass from forward Nolan Flynn — first sidestepping a defender and toe-dragging the puck to create enough separation from the Chilliwack defender’s stick to snap it passed Chiefs’ goalie Sebastian Gatto. 4-1 Chilliwack.

However, a miscommunication on the ice by Surrey resulted in too many men, sending Chilliwack to their second power play of the game. Following a faceoff win, the Chiefs quickly set up and in one pass Grabas had his second goal of the game and period, beating Fischer under the blocker below the circle. 5-1 Chilliwack. Shots 13-6 Chilliwack. 

A few separate scrums to end the second period resulted in several ejections and the Eagles on the penalty kill as all but one penalty cancelled out. Connor Arseneault scored for Chilliwack, driving down the nearside half-wall, on the ensuing power play to give the Chiefs their largest lead advantage of the night. 6-1 Chilliwack.

Savek Brar helped the Eagles chip into the Chiefs’ lead again with his second goal of the season, finishing a tic-tac-toe passing play alongside Ryan Mottau and Yuchan Kong, who picked up his second point against the Chiefs this season. 6-2 Chilliwack. 

The lone penalty of the third period allowed Chilliwack to cash in for their third powerplay goal on their fifth opportunity as Carter Anderson wired home a one-time slapshot from the right faceoff dot. 7-2 Chilliwack. Shots 47-22 Chilliwack. Surrey AP Nick Kotai tended the net for the final 6:49 seconds of the game, making his BCHL debut a perfect one — stopping all seven shots he faced; Fischer stopped 33/40, slated to play Chilliwack in the second game of the back-to-back the next night on the road. 

Brar picked up the Energy Player of the Game for the Eagles with his third-period goal, as the Chiefs took home the rest of the postgame awards. 

The Surrey Eagles (18-12-3-0) will have another chance to move up in the standings in a narrowing Coastal Conference when the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (19-11-2-0), hot on their trail, come to town Friday, January 24 on Lunar New Year game night. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m.