By: Isabella Urbani PHOTO: Brandon David (BrandonDavidImages)
SURREY – The Surrey Eagles (3-4-0-0) faced off against their first Alberta competition of the season after five Alberta Junior Hockey League teams joined the British Columbia Hockey League near the conclusion of last season.
The teams remained deadlock after 20 minutes with the shots in favour of Blackfalds, 12-10, until Dean Toskos tipped home the game’s first goal 14 seconds into the second period from defenceman Jeremy Friesen’s point-shot. 1-0 Surrey. Eagles’ goalie Jaiden Sharma stopped all 28 shots faced through two periods, including those on both of Blackfalds’ penalties. Shots 16-15 Blackfalds.
Brandon Gill extended Surrey’s lead to two after hustling into the zone to support Sihwan Kim’s forecheck on a Blackfalds Bulldogs’ defender. Gill picked up the puck, which was knocked loose near the side of the net, before spinning around and beating Bulldogs’ goalie Waylon Esche blocker side. 2-0 Surrey.
Jaime Darlison brought the Bulldogs within one on the power play with his first goal of the season, putting home the second-chance rebound after Sharma made the initial save. 2-1 Surrey. Blackfalds tied the game at two a piece with less than a minute to spare in the first half of the period on a goal by Aidan Castle. 2-2.
On just the team’s sixth shot of the period, and his second of the frame, Gill gave the Eagles the go-ahead goal from Kim and Yuchan Kong, who picked up the assists on Gill’s goal earlier in the frame. 3-2 Surrey. Shots 14-6 Blackfalds.
Sharma stood tall for the Eagles, stopping 40/42 shots to pick up the second star of the game, with Gill earning the first star of the game for his two-goal performance in the third period. Kim was the FortisBC Energy Player of the Game after picking up the primary assist on both of Gill’s goals.
The Eagles (4-4-0-0) will be at home next on October 18 to take on another Alberta opponent in the Spruce Grove Saints (2-5-0-0) on Halloween Night. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m
