Brady Shaw scored twice and Adam Tambellini netted the tying goal with 14 seconds remaining in the third period as the Surrey Eagles battled to an exciting 4-4 tie with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at Weyerhaeuser Arena. The single point the Birds picked up with the draw, coupled with Chilliwack's loss to Prince George, clinched the Mainland Division for the Eagles. It's the first time Surrey has won a division title since 2005, and in that season, the Eagles went on to win the Fred Page Cup.
The Birds never led in the game as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead before the midway mark of the first. Tryg Strand scored a garbage goal for his 10th of the year to put the home team ahead, and despite the fact that the Eagles out shot the Dogs in the first, Alberni Valley got to the dressing room ahead by one.
In the second, the Eagles tied the game after a nice play by Shaw to find Michael Stenerson all alone in front of the goal, leaving Stenerson with the job of scoring into an open net. Alberni retook the lead on the power play later in the period when Matthew Hansen scored while Trevor Cameron was off for slashing. The Birds countered with a power play goal of their own when Shaw deflected a Drew Best shot past Bulldogs' goalie Jay Deo for his 35th of the season. Surrey was given a man advantage late in the stanza, but things went south for the Eagles when Evan Tironese beat Michael Santaguida with a shorthanded marker in the final minute to give the home team a 3-2 lead after two.
Surrey fought back once again in the third as Shaw tallied his second of the game after a great pass by Santaguida off the glass that sent the Eagles' forward in on a breakaway, and Shaw made no mistake with a pretty deke to the backhand. The game remained tied until the late stages when the Bulldogs found a go-ahead goal with just 2:28 left in the period as Teal Burns rippled the mesh with a power play marker. Surrey got a late man advantage of their own when Jared Wilson was called for tripping, and the Eagles pulled Santaguida but were unable to score on the 6-on-4. However, Tambellini knocked home the goal that clinched the division for the Birds and forced overtime mere seconds after Wilson stepped out of the box.
Both teams had a number of phenomenal chances in overtime, but Deo and Santaguida both made great save after great save, and the game ended in a tie. Alberni's best chance came when Hunter Stewart was sprung in all alone but couldn't beat Santaguida at the left post. The Eagles, for their part, thought they had won the game at one point when Tambellini appeared to shovel the puck into the net, but after a lengthy conversation amongst the officials, it was ruled that the puck never crossed the goal line.
Alberni Valley out shot Surrey 52-44 including 19 shots in the third period as opposed to six shots for the Eagles. The Birds went 1-for-5 on the power play while the Bulldogs were 2-for-6.
Surrey will conclude its three game Island Division road trip with an afternoon game in Duncan on Sunday against the Cowichan Valley Capitals. The game begins at 4:00pm.
Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. Brady Shaw - Surrey
2. Jay Deo - Alberni Valley
3. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
My 3 Stars:
1. Brady Shaw - Surrey
2. Jay Deo - Alberni Valley
3. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
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