SURREY – The Surrey Eagles (0-9-0-0) welcomed yet another Alberta first-timer into their barn for a second weekend in a row. This time, coming head-to-head with last year’s Fred Page Cup Champions, the Brooks Bandits (5-2-1-0). Both these teams faced off for a brief three-game series dubbed the Rocky Mountain Challenge after Surrey won their fifth Fred Page Cup, and first since 2013, two seasons ago.
In the next chapter of history between these two squads, Brooks got off to a 1-0 first-period lead, finding the back of the net on nine shots, in comparison to Surrey’s five. The Bandits continued to build up their lead, as they scored two goals in the later stages of the second period to take a 3-0 lead over the Eagles, putting up 20 shots alone to raise the shot count to 29-10 in favour of the visitors.
Gavin Rocha allowed the Eagles to cut the deficit to two goals with his fourth of the season from Lucas Busch on the power play, as Surrey’s special teams went 1/4, while Brooks struggled to score on the extra-man advantage, despite six opportunities. But good as golden were the Bandits at even strength as they scored twice in the third period, once at the turn of the middle part of the frame, and for the last time with Surrey’s goalie pulled. 5-1 Brooks.
Final shots were 41-20 for Brooks, as a few fights at the end of the period prolonged the end of the game. Sharky Nowek picked up the win for the Bandits as Jaiden Sharma picked up the loss, and the FORTIS BC Energy Player of the Game for his performance between the pipes. Rocha picked up the third star of the game in back-to-back outings.
