RECAP: Eagles pick up 3-2 victory over Alberni Valley on Lunar New Year game day

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

 

SURREY – The Surrey Eagles (20-12-3-0) clashed with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (19-12-2-0) for their second of four meetings this season. Surrey looked to make it a second straight victory against Alberni while extending their win streak to three games after picking up a 7-5 road victory against the Prince George Spruce Kings two nights prior. 

Surrey dawned colourful Lunar New Year jerseys for the game and enjoyed a ceremonial drum performance before puck drop. Despite the Eagles outshooting their opposition by 19 by the end of the game, the score remained deadlocked at two until the final five-plus minutes of the third period — not entirely dissimilar from the last matchup between these two teams, which was tied at one before Surrey scored three straight in the third period to win. 

Alexander Stahl opened the scoring for the Bulldogs as his wrist shot from the point beat Eagles’ goalie Aidan Fischer through traffic off a faceoff win. 1-0 Alberni. 

Surrey responded minutes later, scoring at the tail-end of their first powerplay to even the score and start a new home powerplay streak after their streak of 10 powerplay goals, dating back to October 18th, was broken last home game against Chilliwack. 

Team-leading scorer Miles Burgin ripped home his 14th of the season after reloading, unpicked up, in the slot to beat Alberni goalie Ryder Shea from a puck won in a battle down low on the boards by Ryan Evenhuis and Shawn Leary. Evenhuis’ point streak was extended to three games with the assist; he had a 4-point performance last game against Prince George. 1-1. Shots 13-4 Surrey.

The second was summed up by powerplay goals for each team on their only opportunities of the period. Jacob Terpstra restored the Bulldogs’ lead, selling the pass backdoor on what would have been a tic-tac-toe play, tucking it five-hole. 2-1 Alberni. 

But just like they did in the first, the same trio for the Eagles wasted no time finding the equalizer on the power play. Leary slid the puck along the ice for his fourth of the season, finishing the low-high pass from Evenhuis and Burgin, who holds the longest point streak in the league, dating back to November 30, with 17 points over his last 11 games. 2-2. Shots 16-10 Surrey.

The third period set up a next-goal-wins scenario as the period ticked down and the score remained the same. While the Eagles had a chance to score earlier in the frame on the power play, they waited a little longer to pull away for their first lead of the night. Ryan Mottau entered the zone and ran with a pass from Cam Russo, faking his man out, cutting to the inside and placing a shot low blocker — almost identical to Burgin’s first goal of the game — to pick up his first goal of the season, his first goal in the league, and the game’s go-ahead goal: killing more than two birds in a single shot. 3-2 Surrey.

The Eagles successfully protected their sole lead of the game for the 5:28 seconds they had it, although they didn’t make it easy for themselves, heading to the penalty kill with 1:02 remaining in the game. 3-2 Surrey. Shots 11-7 Surrey. 

Fischer ended the game 19/21, as the Bulldogs narrowed the shot deficit from nine in the first period to four in the third. 

Evenhuis was the FortisBC Energy Player of the Game with two assists. The third star went to Alberni’s first goalscorer as Mottau picked up the second star and Leary picked up the first. 

The Surrey Eagles (21-12-3-0) will take on the visiting Powell River Kings (8-23-4-1) at home next on Sunday, February 2nd. Puckdrop is at 1:30 p.m. Stick around following the game for a Skate with the Eagles, where you can snap photos, and grab autographs, while you skate alongside the players. The Surrey Eagles will be covering the cost of all skate and helmet rentals loaned during the event.