Eagles Storm Back Against Smokies

Photo Courtesy of Randy Emery

Brady Shaw had two goals in the third period to help the Surrey Eagles overcome a two goal deficit and defeat the Trail Smoke Eaters 6-3 on Friday at Cominco Arena. With the victory, the Birds completed the sweep of the season series between the two teams. Michael Santaguida made 29 saves in the win.

Trail found the net first, just over four minutes into the game, when Adam Wheeldon beat Santaguida for his fifth of the year. The goal also ended Santaguida's shutout streak at 150 minutes and 37 seconds. The Smoke Eaters nearly took a 2-0 lead when Austin Adduono's shot found its way through Santaguida and trickled towards the goal, but Nic Pierog dove back and pulled the puck off the goal line. The Birds thought they had tied the game later in the opening frame when Kevan Kilistoff shovelled the puck past Trail goaltender Lyndon Stanwood, but referee Jim Maniago ruled that Kilistoff had interfered with Stanwood on the play, and the goal was not allowed to stand.

Santaguida came up big for Surrey early in the second. After having his stick knocked out of his hands, the Eagles net minder bent over to pick it up just as Jesse Knowler took a shot on net, but Santaguida dove from outside the crease to make a beautiful glove save. The Smoke Eaters would persevere and double their lead at 10:31 when Valik Chichkin scored after an unusual bounce off the side boards. But the Birds responded just 15 seconds later as Devon Toews split a couple of Trail defenders before passing to Brett Mulcahy at the left post, and the Surrey captain made no mistake, burying his eighth of the season. The Eagles pulled onto even terms before the end of the stanza when Mulcahy fired a shot off the left wing that hit the post and sat on the goal line until Drew Best poked it into the open cage.

Surrey took control of the game early in the third. Top scorer Brady Shaw netted his 19th and 20th goals of the season inside the opening three minutes to put the Eagles ahead 4-2. The Smokies tried to get themselves back into the game, and Braeden Jones pulled the home team to within one goal with his first marker in the BCHL, but Nic Pierog restored the two goal lead with his fifth of the year at 14:58, and Mason Blacklock assured Surrey of the victory, scoring with less than three minutes remaining to ice the game.

The Birds will look to extend their post-Christmas four game winning streak when they wrap up their short visit to the Interior on Saturday with a match-up against the Penticton Vees.

Official 3 Stars:
1. Brady Shaw - Surrey
2. Brett Mulcahy - Surrey
3. Braeden Jones - Trail

My 3 Stars:
1. Brady Shaw - Surrey
2. Brett Mulcahy - Surrey
3. Braeden Jones - Trail