Pre-Game Report: Eagles vs. Clippers

The Surrey Eagles will take on the host Nanaimo Clippers in their third game at the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup at Frank Crane Arena on Tuesday night. The two teams split their season series in the BCHL, each picking up a regulation win.

The Birds are coming off their first win of the tournament after they defeated the Steinbach Pistons 5-3 on Monday night. Trevor Cameron was the best Surrey player on the ice, scoring twice and generating a few more chances in the win as well. Heading into Tuesday's action, the Eagles will have a chance to move ahead of the Clippers in the WCC standings with a win as both teams are in a three-way tie with the Brooks Bandits for second place at 1-1.

Following their first round exit in the BCHL Playoffs at the hands of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, the Clippers had over a month off to prepare for the WCC. Nanaimo opened the tournament with a close, hard fought match up against the Yorkton Terriers -- a game which the Clips lost 4-3. Nanaimo bounced back with a strong effort in the second game of the tournament as the Clippers power play converted four times in a 7-2 win over the Brooks Bandits.

Where: Frank Crane Arena

When: 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Nanaimo Clippers: By the Numbers

Following their 5-3 win over the Steinbach Pistons on Monday night, the Surrey Eagles return to action at the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup on Tuesday to face the host Nanaimo Clippers. Here's all you need to know about the Clips.

Regular Season Record: 32-20-0-4 – 2nd Island Division, 7th BCHL

Playoff Record: 2-3 - (Lost 3-2 to Alberni Valley in Round 1)

Regular Season Power Play: 48/221 (21.72%) -- 2 Shorthanded Goals Against

Playoff Power Play: 3/21 (14.29%) -- 0 Shorthanded Goals Against

Regular Season Penalty Kill: 56/274 (79.56%) -- 8 Shorthanded Goals For

Playoff Penalty Kill: 5/17 (70.59%) -- 0 Shorthanded Goal For

Regular Season Top Scorers:

Greg Fraser (19-40-59)

Kyle Kramer (30-27-57)

Reid Sturos (25-32-57)

Matthew Grant (13-34-47)
Trevor Fitzgerald (16-26-42)

Playoff Top Scorers:

Trevor Fitzgerald (2-4-6)

Brock Maschmeyer (0-4-4)

Reid Sturos (3-0-3)

Brenden Forbes (2-0-2)

Greg Fraser (1-1-2)

Regular Season Goaltender Stats:

Jayson Argue: 20-17-0, 2.98GAA, .908%, 4SO, 39GP

Derek Dun: 15-21-0, 3.09GAA, .909%, 0SO, 38GP

Playoff Goaltender Stats:

Jayson Argue: 2-2, 2.50GAA, .919%, 0SO, 4GP
Derek Dun: 0-1, 3.08GAA, .885%, 0SO, 1GP

Other Notes:

The two teams met twice in the regular season. Nanaimo beat Surrey 5-2 on December 9, 2012 at Frank Crane Arena before the Eagles won 3-2 at the South Surrey Arena on February 15, 2013.
Clippers defenceman Brock Maschmeyer and Eagles blue liner Jordan Klimek have both committed to attend Northern Michigan.

Eagles Edge Pistons

Trevor Cameron scored twice as the Surrey Eagles improved to 1-1 at the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup with a 5-3 win over the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion Steinbach Pistons. Michael Santaguida made 33 saves for the win in the Surrey net.

The Eagles jumped on the Pistons right off the opening puck drop and got an early goal when Brady Shaw opened the scoring just over a minute into the game, beating Steinbach goaltender Corey Koop cleanly with a hard wrist shot off the rush. Surrey went ahead 2-0 later in the period after Cameron got the puck in the slot after a nice play by Demico Hannoun, and the Mission native wired the puck into the open cage with Koop down and out.

Both teams took a number of penalties in the second period, and neither side was able to capitalize on the power play until Adam Tambellini found the back of the net with a one-timer from the right circle to put Surrey ahead by three. The Pistons responded late in the frame as the puck came to Tyler Penner in the slot off a broken play. Penner got a shot on goal that Santaguida was able to stop with his left pad, but Nicholas Kobelka pounced on the rebound to put Steinbach on the board.

The Pistons scored again early in the third to pull themselves to within a goal of the Eagles as Trent Genyk received a pass from Matthew Franczyk in the slot and beat Santaguida to make it 3-2. Surrey regained the two goal lead when Cameron scored his second of the night with a nice shot from the left circle that snuck past Koop on the blocker side, but the Pistons were undeterred as they responded with a power play goal off the stick of captain Kyle Rous. Steinbach pulled the goalie in the late stages, in an attempt to tie the game, but Michael Stenerson ended any hopes of a comeback when he scored into the empty net in the last minute of play.

Steinbach out shot Surrey 36-31 in the game. Both teams were 1-for-5 on the power play, meaning the Eagles are now 2-for-12 in the tournament.

The Birds get right back at it on Tuesday with a match up against the host Nanaimo Clippers. Face-off goes at 7:00pm from Frank Crane Arena.

Surrey Player of the Game: Trevor Cameron

Steinbach Player of the Game: Tyler Penner

My 3 Stars:
1. Trevor Cameron - Surrey
2. Tyler Penner - Steinbach
3. Devon Toews - Surrey

Pre-Game Report: Eagles vs. Pistons

The Surrey Eagles will look for their first victory at the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup when they face the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion Steinbach Pistons on Monday evening. As was the case with Surrey's opening game against Brooks, this is the first ever meeting between the two teams.

Special teams cost the Birds in the first game of the tournament. The Eagles were only able to muster one goal on seven opportunities with the man advantage while they conceded twice to the Brooks power play on three chances. Michael Santaguida gave up four goals for the first time since Game 2 against the Chilliwack Chiefs in the Mainland Division Final back on March 23rd. On a more positive note, Surrey did play well 5-on-5 and out shot the Bandits in the loss.

The Pistons also dropped their opening game as they fell to the Yorkton Terriers by a score of 3-2 on Sunday afternoon. The Manitoba champions finished 30 points behind the Dauphin Kings who were the top team in the MJHL regular season, but the Pistons defeated the Kings in six games to win the Turnbull Trophy. Steinbach won three games in a row by one goal to take the final series, including a pair of overtime victories.

Where: Frank Crane Arena

When: 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Steinbach Pistons: By the Numbers

After losing their opening game at the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup, the Surrey Eagles will face the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion Steinbach Pistons on Monday night. Here's a look at the Pistons:

Regular Season Record: 31-25-4 – 2nd Addison Division, 5th MJHL

Playoff Record: 12-7 - Turnbull Trophy Winners (Defeated Portage 4-3; Defeated Winnipeg 4-2; Defeated Dauphin 4-2)

Regular Season Power Play: 46/239 (19.25%) -- 4 Shorthanded Goals Against

Playoff Power Play: 13/74 (17.57%) -- 3 Shorthanded Goals Against

Regular Season Penalty Kill: 65/277 (76.53%) -- 9 Shorthanded Goals For

Playoff Penalty Kill: 12/81 (85.19%) -- 0 Shorthanded Goal For

Regular Season Top Scorers:

Richard Olson (37-30-67)

Myles Nykoluk (26-40-66)

Justin Augert (34-30-64)

Dan Taillefer (23-33-56)

Kyle Rous (13-34-47)

Playoff Top Scorers:

Justin Dalebozik (10-16-26)

Myles Nykoluk (9-12-21)

Justin Augert (11-9-20)

Richard Olson (6-14-20)

Kyle Rous (3-10-13)

Regular Season Goaltender Stats:

Corey Koop: 15-28-0, 3.11GAA, .921%, 1SO, 44GP

Zachary Rakochy: 15-17-0, 3.53GAA, .894%, 0SO, 42GP

Playoff Goaltender Stats:

Corey Koop: 12-7, 2.46GAA, .924%, 2SO, 19GP

Other Notes:

This season's championship win was the first ever for the Pistons.

Goaltender Corey Koop was the MVP of the MJHL Playoffs.

Bandits Best Birds 4-2

The Surrey Eagles fell to the Brooks Bandits in the opening game of the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup by a score of 4-2 at Frank Crane Arena in Nanaimo. Bandits goalie Michael Fredrick made 40 saves in the victory for the Alberta champions.

The Birds had a lot of jump at the start of the game and generated a couple of early chances in the first, but it was Brooks who opened the scoring in the late stages of the frame when the puck came to Brandon Bruce after a goal mouth scramble, and he found the back of the net to give the Bandits a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Surrey got into some penalty trouble in the second, and Brooks made the Eagles pay on the power play. With Colton Mackie in the box for slashing, Mark Reners buried a rebound past Surrey goalie Michael Santaguida to extend the lead. Then a few minutes later, Demico Hannoun could only watch from the sin bin as RJ Reed rippled the mesh with a slap shot from the point that tipped off a Surrey stick and into the net.

Brady Shaw got the Birds on the board with a power play goal early in the third as he chipped the rebound of an Adam Tambellini shot past Fredrick, but Brooks regained the three goal lead when Cam Maclise was awarded a penalty shot after Devon Toews hooked him on a shorthanded breakaway, and Maclise made no mistake, firing a hard shot between Santaguida's legs. Drew Best pulled Surrey to within two goals in the final minute, but it was too little, too late as the Birds dropped the opening game of the tournament.

Despite the loss, Surrey out shot Brooks 42-32 in the game. The Bandits were better on special teams though, as Brooks went 2-for-3 on the power play while the Eagles were only 1-for-7.

Surrey gets back at it on Monday night with a match up against the Manitoba champion Steinbach Pistons. Face-off at 7:00pm.

Brooks Player of the Game: Michael Fredrick

Surrey Player of the Game: Brady Shaw

My 3 Stars:
1. Michael Fredrick - Brooks
2. Brady Shaw - Surrey
3. Chris Muscoby - Brooks

Pre-Game Report: Eagles vs. Bandits

The Surrey Eagles will open the Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup on Saturday afternoon against the Alberta Junior Hockey League Champion Brooks Bandits. The game will mark the first ever meeting between the two teams.

The Birds enter the WCC after a five day layoff, following their dramatic Game 6 win over the defending Royal Bank Cup Champion Penticton Vees in the Fred Page Cup Final. Surrey boasts the top four scorers at the conclusion of the BCHL Playoffs as Michael Stenerson, Brady Shaw, Adam Tambellini and Demico Hannoun all finished with more points than any other player on any other team in the BCHL. Meanwhile, goaltender Michael Santaguida has the best playoff goals-against average (1.65) and save percentage (.955%) of any goalie in the tournament.

Brooks enters the tournament as the Gas Drive Cup Champions of the AJHL. The Bandits were ranked #1 in Canada on the last CJHL Top 20 list and have a playoff record of 12-5 after series wins over Drumheller, Okotoks and Spruce Grove. Up front, Cam Maclise has proven to be the biggest offensive threat for Brooks this year. The 21-year-old led the team in points in both the regular season and the playoffs and was named a finalist for the CJHL MVP.

Where: Frank Crane Arena

When: 2:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Stenerson to Attend Vermont

For immediate release: April 26, 2013

Surrey, BC - The Surrey Eagles Hockey Club is pleased to announce that forward Michael Stenerson has committed to attend the University of Vermont, beginning in the 2013-2014 season.

The Surrey native had a strong season offensively, posting 19 goals and 35 assists in 55 games. Stenerson continued his excellent play throughout the BCHL Playoffs as he led the league in scoring with eight goals and 12 assists in 17 games.

"We're extremely excited for Michael to be going to a Hockey East school," said Eagles Head Coach and GM Matt Erhart. "He has really elevated his game in the second half of the season, and he was an integral part of our team's Fred Page Cup win."

The University of Vermont is located in the city of Burlington. The Catamounts play in the NCAA's Division I Hockey East Association. Stenerson will head to Vermont after previously decommitting from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

"Having a second opportunity at this is exciting for me and my family, and I'm really looking forward to going to Vermont," said Stenerson. "It's in Hockey East, and I was looking for a school in that conference. Going there with Michael Santaguida next year, and Drew Best the year after, will be pretty exciting."

Stenerson becomes the 10th member of the Eagles to commit to an NCAA school, joining Devon Toews (Quinnipiac, 2013), Michael Santaguida (Vermont, 2013), Craig Wyszomirski (Merrimack, 2013), Adam Tambellini (North Dakota, 2013), Dan O'Keefe (Yale, 2013), Brett Mulcahy (Holy Cross, 2014), Drew Best (Vermont, 2014), Demico Hannoun (Michigan Tech, 2014) and Jordan Klimek (Northern Michigan, 2014).

The Eagles would like to congratulate Stenerson on his accomplishment.

Brooks Bandits: By the Numbers

The Surrey Eagles open the first ever Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup on Saturday with a match up against the Alberta champion Brooks Bandits. Here's a look at the Bandits.

Regular Season Record: 53-4-3 – 1st South Division, 1st AJHL 

Playoff Record: 12-5 - Gas Drive Cup Champions (First round bye; Defeated Drumheller 4-1; Defeated Okotoks 4-3; Defeated Spruce Grove 4-1)

Regular Season Power Play: 95/318 (29.87%) -- 2 Shorthanded Goals Against

Playoff Power Play: 13/75 (17.33%) -- 2 Shorthanded Goals Against

Regular Season Penalty Kill: 34/296 (88.51%) -- 8 Shorthanded Goals For

Playoff Penalty Kill: 7/77 (90.91%) -- 1 Shorthanded Goal For

Regular Season Top Scorers:

Cam Maclise (27-56-83)

Mark Reners (34-39-73)

Dakota Mason (26-41-67)

Anthony Petruzzelli (30-33-63)

Patrick Lee (23-32-55)

Playoff Top Scorers:

Cam Maclise (10-9-19)

Patrick Lee (5-14-19)

Taylor Makin (7-9-16)

RJ Reed (9-6-15)

Anthony Petruzzelli (6-9-15)

Regular Season Goaltender Stats:

Michael Fredrick: 42-2-2, 1.90GAA, .919%, 7SO, 46GP

Devon Fordyce: 10-2-1, 1.61GAA, .933%, 1SO, 13GP

Playoff Goaltender Stats:

Michael Fredrick: 12-5, 2.18GAA, .921%, 1SO, 17GP

Devon Fordyce: 0-0, 0.00GAA, 1.000%, 0SO, 1GP

Other Notes:

Former Eagles defenceman Eric Chevrier plays for the Bandits, wearing #25.

Bandits forward Anthony Petruzzelli and defenceman Chris Muscoby are both committed to attend Vermont along with Eagles forward Drew Best and goaltender Michael Santaguida.

Santaguida Nominated for CJHL Goalie of the Year

On Thursday, the CJHL announced its nominees for the CJHL Goaltender of the Year, and Surrey net minder Michael Santaguida was included in the list.

Here's the full release from the CJHL:

CALGARY, Alberta - The Canadian Junior Hockey League announced today the five finalists for the 2012-2013 Top Goaltender Award. The award will recognize the most outstanding goaltender in the CJHL based on individual performance in the regular season and will mark the first time a CJHL goaltender has been crowned as the national winner.

The five finalists for the Top Goaltender honour represent the BCHL, LHJAAAQ, OJHL, SIJHL and SJHL as listed below:

Paul Jr. Bourbeau, Collège Français de Longueuil, LHJAAAQ (39 GP, 30 W, 6L, 4 SO, .910 SV%, 2.42 GAA)
Paul Jr. Bourbeau was awarded LHJAAAQ Player of the Year. During the 2012-2013 regular season, Bourbeau led the league in all goaltending departments and received trophies for best goals against average, most wins, most shutouts and best save percentage. He was also selected to the LHJAAAQ All-Star Team.

Gordy Defiel, Minnesota Wilderness, SIJHL (28 GP, 25 W, 1 L, 2 SOL, 8 SO, 1.39 GAA, .945 SV%)
Gordy Defiel posted a 25-1-2 record while leading all SIJHL netminders in wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. Defiel's goals against average and save percentage also set SIJHL single season records and led the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League while finishing tied for first nationally in shutouts.

Charlie Finn, Kingston Voyageurs, OJHL (39 GP, 25 W, 10 L, 4 SOL, 8 SO, 2.15 GAA, .941 SV%)
Charlie Finn dominated the OJHL statistically, topping many of the goaltending categories including goals against average, save percentage and shutouts. He was awarded his second OJHL Top Goaltender Award and was named a 1st Team All-Star in 2012-2013. Charlie was the starting goalie for Team Canada East at the 2012 World Junior 'A' Challenge and would also be selected to play for the OJHL East Division All-Stars at the 2012 Central Canada Cup. Finn is committed to join the Colgate University Raiders next season.

Matt Hrynkiw, Humboldt Broncos, SJHL (40 GP, 27 W, 11 L, 2 SOL, 6 SO, 1.83 GAA, 0.939 SV%)
Matt Hrynkiw was named the SJHL Goaltender of the Year on the strength of 27 wins, 6 shutouts and a 1.83 goals against average. Hrynkiw led the SJHL in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts and was second in wins.

Michael Santiguida, Surrey Eagles, BCHL (42 GP, 29 W, 10 L, 3 T, 2 SO, 2.28 GAA, .933 SV%)
In 42 appearances, Michael posted a record of 29-10-3 with a goals against average of 2.28 and a save percentage of .933 with 2 shutouts. His wins, GAA and save percentage all led the league. Michael earned a spot on the 2012-2013 BCHL All-Rookie team.

Each of the 10 leagues in the CJHL nominated a candidate for the CJHL Top Goaltender Award. The first stage of the selection process saw representatives from all 10 Junior A leagues rank their top five players from among the 10 national nominees. Rankings were then assigned a point value and the five players with the highest point total move on as finalists to the final round of voting.

Congratulations to the following honourable mentions for the CJHL Top Goaltender Award:
Shayne Campbell, Truro Bearcats, MHL
Greg Dodds, North Bay Trappers, NOJHL
Carmine Guerriero, Hawkesbury Hawks, CCHL
Adam Iwan, Portage Terriers, MJHL
Nick Kulmanovsky, Grande Prairie Storm, AJHL

In February 2013, the Canadian Junior Hockey League announced that it will recognize the best Junior A talent from across all 10 Junior A leagues with a new suite of national awards. The new CJHL awards include Most Valuable Player, Top Forward, Top Defenceman, Top Goaltender and Rookie of the Year. Every Junior A league in the CJHL has submitted a nominee for each award and the winner will be chosen from among those 10 national nominees.

The Top 5 finalists for the CJHL player awards will be announced over the week of April 22nd-26th, followed by the announcements of the award winners during the week of May 6th-10th.

The Matt Erhart Show: April 25, 2013

On the latest edition of the Matt Erhart Show, the Head Coach and GM of the Eagles talked about winning the Fred Page Cup, becoming only the second person to win the trophy as a player and a Head Coach and the upcoming Western Canada Cup in Nanaimo.

Tambellini Ranked #42 by NHL Central Scouting

NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings ahead of this summer's entry draft on Wednesday, and Surrey Eagles forward Adam Tambellini was the top ranked Junior A player in Canada at #42. Congratulations to Adam on this impressive achievement.

Here's the full release from the CJHL:

Fifteen CJHL players were identified in the Final Rankings for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft released today. Surrey Eagles forward Adam Tambellini is the recipient of the Top NHL Prospect Award as the highest ranked CJHL player at 42nd on the North American Skaters list. The BCHL has the most players recognized in the list among Junior A league with seven. Tambellini was ranked 62nd overall in the Midterm Rankings and climbed 20 spots. The NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings included fourteen CJHL Players.

Tambellini was a BCHL 2nd Team-All Star and led the BCHL in goals during the 2013 Playoffs. Tambellini scored the double-overtime goal for the Surrey Eagles to capture the 2013 Fred Page Cup. Tambellini, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, has committed to the University of North Dakota (NCAA Division I) for the 2013-2014 Season. He also earned a tryout with Team Canada West for the 2012 World Junior A Challenge. Tambellini and the Surrey Eagles captured the BCHL Title and will now compete in the 2013 Crescent Point Energy Western Canada Cup in Nanaimo, BC from April 27 – May 5th.

North American Skaters
42 ADAM TAMBELLINI SURREY BCHL
67 DAVID POPE WEST KELOWNA BCHL
86 LUKE RIPLEY POWELL RIVER BCHL
111 NOLAN DE JONG VICTORIA BCHL
117 MATT BUCKLES ST. MICHAELS OJHL
119 TROY JOSEPHS ST. MICHAELS OJHL
121 DANE BIRKS MERRITT BCHL
122 BLAINE BYRON SMITHS FALLS CCHL
129 CARSON SOUCY SPRUCE GROVE AJHL
131 JEDD SOLEWAY PENTICTON BCHL
162 KEVIN GUILTINAN PRINCE GEORGE BCHL
183 MIKE WILLIAMSON SPRUCE GROVE AJHL
184 JOSH HEALEY SHERWOOD PARK AJHL
204 PAUL STOYKEWYCH WINNIPEG BLUES MJHL

North American Goaltenders
28 CHAD KATUNAR PENTICTON BCHL

Thirteen CJHL players were drafted in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, surpassing a total of 7 players selected in 2011. The 2013 NHL Draft will be held on June 28 at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

Batch's Breakdown: Fred Page Cup Final vs. Penticton

The Surrey Eagles advanced to their fourth Fred Page Cup Final in team history after a four game sweep of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Coastal Conference Final. Heading into the championship series against the Penticton Vees, the Birds were 3-0 in the BCHL Final after wins in 1997, 1998 and 2005.

Friday, April 12th - Game 1

After a nine day layoff, the Eagles opened the final with a 5-2 win on home ice. Penticton had a strong start and took the lead early, but Michael Stenerson equalized for Surrey with a shorthanded goal before the end of the first, and the Birds made the Vees pay for some penalty trouble in the second as Surrey scored two goals while on five-on-three power plays before cruising to the win in the third.

Saturday, April 13th - Game 2

Michael Santaguida was the story of Game 2. The Surrey goaltender was sensational, stopping all 50 shots he faced in a 2-0 shutout win. Many of Santaguida's stops were absolutely remarkable, most notably a goal line save on Brad McClure with the paddle of his goal stick. Demico Hannoun scored on the power play for Surrey while Nic Pierog tallied an even strength marker.

Monday, April 15th - Game 3

Penticton bounced back with a strong effort at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Game 3. McClure scored twice on a couple of big league wrist shots for the home team while Pierog and Brady Shaw had Surrey goals, leaving the game knotted at 2-2 after 40 minutes. Cody DePourcq scored the winner midway through the third on a two-on-one to give the Vees their first win of the series.

Tuesday, April 16th - Game 4

The fourth game in the series was a cagey affair as both sides played a disciplined defensive game. The opening goal didn't come until late in the second period when AP Anthony Brito beat Penticton goalie Chad Katunar to give Surrey the lead heading into the third, but the Vees responded with three goals in the final frame from Wade Murphy, Ryan Gropp and Jedd Soleway en route to a 3-2 win. Pierog scored for the fourth straight game in a losing cause for Surrey.

Thursday, April 18th - Game 5

The swing game in the series was another chess match. Penticton drew first blood when Travis Blanleil found the back of the net on a one-timer with 2.9 seconds remaining in the first, and the Vees maintained the 1-0 lead throughout the second. In danger of going down in the series, the Birds found a tying goal in the third after Trevor Cameron scored on a wraparound while Katunar was caught out of the net. The game needed OT, but Kevan Kilistoff provided the heroics for Surrey with his second of the playoffs to give the Birds a 3-2 lead in the series.

Sunday, April 21st - Game 6

Game 6 was an instant classic, and one of the best hockey games I've ever had the pleasure of taking in live. Brett Mulcahy scored for Surrey less than two minutes into the first, and the Eagles carried the one goal lead into the third period. Louie Nanne tied the game with his first goal of the series, but the Birds regained the upper hand shortly afterwards when Shaw scored on a man advantage. Late in the third, the Vees pulled the goalie and got an equalizer with 27 seconds left as Michael Rebry tipped a point shot past Santaguida to send the game to OT. Though there were countless chances in the first overtime, the goaltenders stood on their heads to keep the score tied. Adam Tambellini netted the championship winning goal for Surrey early in double overtime on a one-timed shot in front of the net, lifting the Eagles to their fourth Fred Page Cup.

Positives from the Series

The Eagles defeated one of the best teams in Canada. Simple as that. The Vees are an amazing group and gave the Birds all they could handle in the final, but Surrey came out on the other side. The Eagles are now a perfect 4-0 in Fred Page Cup Finals, and a team that battled hard all season long was able to celebrate a championship that is incredibly well deserved.

The Eagles' power play was hugely important in the series, particularly in the first two games when they scored three goals while up by two men. Surrey's penalty kill was even better, holding one of the league's best power plays to three goals on 20 opportunities.

While I could pick out any number of individual performances for the Eagles in this series, a couple stood out to me in particular. First, Nic Pierog. This kid proved to be clutch again -- just like he was against Alberni -- scoring a goal in every one of the first four games of the final and bringing his work boots every single night. 

I was also impressed by defenceman Matt Dawson. The 16-year-old AP from the Delta Ice Hawks looked like a seasoned veteran at times, making calm puck decisions while under some heavy pressure. Expect him to be a high-end BCHL blue liner within the next couple of years. 

Michael Stenerson continued his strong play and finished atop the BCHL's playoff scoring list with eight goals and 12 assists in 17 games, and captain Brett Mulcahy was an absolute warrior, particularly in Game 6 when he scored a goal and got down to block a number of shots at critical times, putting his body on the line.

And as always, Michael Santaguida was spectacular. He is -- without a doubt -- Surrey's Playoff MVP to this point. His shutout performance in Game 2 is one that I won't soon forget, and his effort in the OT periods in Game 6 was nothing short of heroic. 

Negatives from the Series

You don't nitpick too much when you win a championship, so I'll only mention a couple of things in this section.

Firstly, turnovers. The games that Surrey lost were due to costly turnovers and mental mistakes in the third period. Now that the Birds are heading to the Western Canada Cup where they could face single game elimination scenarios, errors like the ones we saw in Games 3 and 4 against Penticton could mean the difference between moving on and going home.

Secondly, and finally, the Birds gave up another shorthanded goal in this series. I harped on it after the Conference Final, but it can't be emphasized enough -- you can't concede goals while you're on the power play. Luckily for the Eagles, there hasn't been a trend there as shorthanded goals against have been few and far between.

Eagles Goal of the Series

Adam Tambellini's OT Winner in Game 6. Watch it here.

Eagles Save of the Series

Michael Santaguida's Stop on Brad McClure in Game 2. Watch it here.

3 Stars of the Series:

1. Michael Santaguida

2. Nic Pierog

3. Michael Stenerson

Matt Erhart on TEAM 1040

The Head Coach and GM of the Eagles, Matt Erhart, joined Matt Sekeres on TEAM 1040 in Vancouver on Tuesday afternoon. Hear the interview below.

Tambellini Named Player of the Week

After he scored the overtime winning goal to lift the Surrey Eagles to the Fred Page Cup, Adam Tambellini was named the BCHL Player of the Week.

Here's the full release from the BCHL:

Surrey Eagles forward Adam Tambellini has been named the Gongshow BCHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 21, the league announced Monday.

Tambellini scored the Fred Page Cup-clinching goal in double overtime for the Eagles as they defeated the Penticton Vees in Game 6 to claim the BCHL title. The Port Moody native also had an assist in the game to go along with another he chalked up in Game 3.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound forward wound up the leading goalscorer in the playoffs with 10 goals to go along with eight assists. His 18 points placed him third in playoff points.

Honourable mentions this week go to:

Surrey Eagles G Michael Santaguida (2W, .941 sv%, 1.36 GAA, three 2nd Stars)

Penticton Vees D Sean Flanagan (two FortisBC Energy Player of the Games honours)

Penticton Vees F Sam Mellor (3A)

Surrey Eagles F Michael Stenerson (3A, led playoff scoring)

Penticton Vees F John Siemer (2A, 1st Star, FortisBC Energy Player of the Game)

Eagles Win Fred Page Cup

Adam Tambellini scored in double overtime to lift the Surrey Eagles to their fourth Fred Page Cup as the Birds defeated the Penticton Vees 3-2 in Game 6 to win the best-of-seven BCHL Championship series.

The Eagles came out flying in the first and were rewarded for their efforts early as Brett Mulcahy netted his second of the playoffs, knocking the rebound of a Michael Stenerson shot past Chad Katunar less than two minutes into the game. Surrey had some good pressure throughout the period and nearly scored again when Nic Pierog hit the post from the left circle, and Kevan Kilistoff found the iron with the rebound as well.

Both teams had opportunities to score in the second period but were unable to find the back of the net. Demico Hannoun nearly extended the Surrey lead when his shot hit the goal post early in the frame while Penticton forward John Siemer wired a backhander off the cross-bar from close range off the rebound of a James de Haas point shot.

The Vees found a tying goal in the third when Troy Stecher made a nice deke down the left wing to find some room below the Surrey goal line before passing to Louie Nanne in the high slot, and Nanne ripped a wrister past Michael Santaguida to even the score. The Birds retook the lead a few minutes later on the power play as Brady Shaw chipped a rebound over Katunar into the Penticton net, but the Vees equalized again in the final minute of the frame as Siemer tipped a Sam Mellor point shot into the goal to send the game to overtime.

The first overtime period was full of frantic action and numerous chances for both sides, but Katunar and Santaguida battled in their respective nets and kept everything out. Shaw had a good backhand chance in front of the net for Surrey that was turned aside by the Penticton keeper while Santaguida robbed Sam Mellor with a fantastic blocker save at the other end of the ice moments later.

The Eagles finally found a winning goal in the second overtime period when Tambellini fired a one-timer past Katunar after a nice pass from behind the net by Demico Hannoun, and the Birds celebrated as Fred Page Cup Champions.

Surrey will now advance to the Western Canada Cup which begins on Saturday, April 27 in Nanaimo.

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. Adam Tambellini - Surrey
2. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
3. John Siemer - Surrey

My 3 Stars:
1. Brett Mulcahy - Surrey
2. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
3. John Siemer - Penticton





Highlights (below) courtesy of the Penticton Vees and the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Pre-Game Report: Game 6 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles will have a chance to capture their first Fred Page Cup since 2005 on Sunday when they visit the Penticton Vees for Game 6 of the BCHL Final. The Birds lead the series 3-2 after a dramatic 2-1 overtime win in Game 5 on Thursday night. The home team was won every game in the series to this point.

The Eagles have had depth scoring from throughout the lineup in this series. After Kevan Kilistoff's OT winner on Thursday, the Birds have now scored 13 goals against the Vees with eight different players finding the back of the net. In the defensive zone, Surrey has allowed nine Penticton goals on 189 shots -- leaving goaltender Michael Santaguida with a 1.78 goals-against average and a .952 save percentage in the five games thus far.

Thursday was a night of missed chances for Penticton. Both John Siemer and Michael Rebry had golden opportunities to score in regulation but couldn't will the puck to cross the goal line. As a result, the Vees find themselves in a must-win scenario for the first time since last year's Royal Bank Cup. Penticton remains undefeated at the South Okanagan Events Centre in the playoffs with a perfect 7-0 record.

Where: South Okanagan Events Centre

When: 5:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Shaw To Attend Habs Development Camp

For immediate release: April 19, 2013

Surrey, BC - The Surrey Eagles are thrilled to announce that forward Brady Shaw will attend the Montreal Canadiens’ Development Camp this coming summer.

“When they asked me to come to their camp, I was pretty excited,” said Shaw. “It’ll be tough. I’m going to put in a lot of hard work leading up to it, and hopefully it’ll pay off.”

Shaw had a strong regular season, finishing in fifth in BCHL scoring with 38 goals and 32 assists in 54 games. The Ottawa, Ontario native has kept up his offensive production in the post-season with seven goals and 11 assists in 16 games.

“It’s exciting news for Brady and our hockey club,” said Eagles Head Coach and GM Matt Erhart. “I think his overall game has gone to the next level since he joined our team. I know he had a couple of teams talking to him about attending their camps in the summer, and Montreal showed a lot of interest, so we’re really excited for him, and I think it’ll be a good experience for him.”

The Canadiens development camp is expected to consist of players from Montreal's AHL affiliate the Hamilton Bulldogs, prospects that have been drafted by the team and players who have been invited to attend.

The Eagles would like to congratulate Brady on this accomplishment.

Kilistoff Plays OT Hero; Eagles Win 2-1

Kevan Kilistoff scored the winning goal at 5:44 of the first overtime period to lift the Surrey Eagles to a 2-1 win over the Penticton Vees in Game 5 of the Fred Page Cup Final on Thursday night at the South Surrey Arena. The victory gives the Birds a 3-2 lead in the series.

The first period was a hard fought defensive battle. Both teams had a handful of chances but played well in their respective zones, limiting the number of high quality opportunities. It looked like the teams would head to the dressing rooms scoreless, but Penticton got on the board first with less than three seconds remaining in the frame when Cam Amantea forced a turnover on the end boards and fed in front to Travis Blanleil who netted his sixth of the playoffs.

The pace picked up in the middle frame and both teams had good chances to score. Penticton's best opportunity came on the power play when Michael Rebry tipped a shot on net that got past Michael Santaguida, but the Surrey goalie dove back in the crease and knocked the loose puck away before it crossed the line. Late in the frame, the Eagles had a flurry of chances in the Penticton end but couldn't find an equalizer.

Surrey tied the game just after the five minute mark of the third when Matt Dawson, who had just come out of the penalty box, received a pass at centre and sent a long shot just wide of the net. Trevor Cameron beat goaltender Chad Katunar to the loose puck and scored on a wraparound into the wide open cage to even the score. The Vees had some wonderful chances later in the period to retake the lead but couldn't ripple the mesh. John Siemer caught Santaguida out of the net and nearly scored into an open cage as well but fired the puck across the goal line and out the far side.

Colton Mackie nearly netted the winner for Surrey in OT when he was denied by Katunar in close after a nice pass from behind the net by Michael Stenerson. Eventually, Kilistoff found the back of the net after Craig Wyszomirski's point shot bounced off the end boards and back in front to the Langley native who chipped the puck past Katunar to give the Eagles the win.

Neither team scored on the power play as both teams went 0-for-4. The shots were even between the two sides at 30-30. Surrey improves its playoff overtime record to 4-0 with the win while the Vees are now 2-2.

The Eagles will have a chance to capture their fourth Fred Page Cup in Game 6 on Sunday at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Face-off is at 5:00pm.

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. Trevor Cameron - Surrey
2. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
3. Travis Blanleil - Penticton

My 3 Stars:
1. Trevor Cameron - Surrey
2. Travis Blanleil - Penticton
3. Kevan Kilistoff - Surrey

Pre-Game Report: Game 5 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles and Penticton Vees will resume the BCHL Championship series on Thursday night at the South Surrey Arena for a pivotal Game 5. The series is now a best-of-three after each team won twice in the opening four games.

The Birds will be looking to maintain the trend of victories by the home team in the series after dropping back-to-back games in Penticton by one goal. Prior to the trip to the Okanagan, Surrey hadn't dropped two consecutive games since early December. Despite the loss in Game 4, it was a notable evening for Anthony Brito as the 20-year-old affiliate player from the Delta Ice Hawks netted his first BCHL goal.

For both games at the SOEC, Penticton left it late but got the necessary offense in the third period. In Game 3, Cody DePourcq scored the winner with less than 10 minutes remaining while the Vees got all three goals in the third period of their 3-2 win in Game 4. Penticton's power play came to life at home after failing to score in the opening two games of the series as the Vees operated at 40 per cent on the man advantage in Penticton.

Where: South Surrey Arena

When: Be there at 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast or on 88.7FM in the arena

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Penticton Holds Serve at Home

The Penticton Vees scored three goals in the third period as they came from behind to defeat the Surrey Eagles 3-2 in Game 4 of the Fred Page Cup Final at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Tuesday night. Wade Murphy, Ryan Gropp and Jedd Soleway scored for the Vees in the win while Anthony Brito and Nic Pierog tallied goals for Surrey. The series is now tied 2-2.

The two teams played a very cagey opening period with only a handful of chances for either side. Surrey’s best opportunity came when Dan O’Keefe led the rush up the ice and got right in on goal but was stopped by Chad Katunar. For the Vees, both Cam Amantea and Sam Mellor had chances in front of the net and shot wide.

Business picked up a little in the second with both teams generating more on the attack. Michael Santaguida made a pair of nice stops on Amantea and Travis Blanleil on the same play as he had to deny the rebound as well. Michael Stenerson nearly opened the scoring when he picked up the rebound of a Brady Shaw shot in front, but Katunar made a nice diving save to deny the Surrey forward. It was the Eagles that finally tallied the opening goal in the latter part of the period when Kevan Kilistoff forced a turnover in the right corner and passed to Brito at the left circle. The 20-year-old affiliate player placed a nice shot inside the left post to give Surrey the lead.

The Vees found their stride in the third and jumped on the Eagles early. Murphy tied the game in the first minute of the stanza with a shot from the left face-off dot that beat Santaguida between the legs on the power play. Shortly thereafter, Penticton took the lead when Gropp picked up the ricochet of a shot off the end boards and fired it into the goal. The Birds equalized when O’Keefe found Pierog with a nice stretch pass that sent the Surrey forward in alone on net, and he made no mistake, beating Katunar up high. The winning goal for the Vees came off a turnover at the Surrey blue line as a couple of Eagles got their wires crossed, resulting in John Siemer skating in on the left wing with the puck and feeding into the slot to Soleway who buried a wrister.

For the fourth game in a row, the team that won the special teams battle came out on top as the Vees were 1-for-1 on the power play while Surrey went 0-for-3. Penticton out shot the Eagles 36-32.

The teams will now head back to Surrey for a critical Game 5 on Thursday night. For tickets, call 604-531-GOAL (4625).

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. John Siemer - Penticton
2. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
3. Cam Amantea - Penticton

My 3 Stars:
1. Wade Murphy - Penticton
2. Nic Pierog - Surrey
3. Brad McClure - Penticton

Highlights courtesy of the Penticton Vees and the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Pre-Game Report: Game 4 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles will head back to the South Okanagan Events Centre for Game 4 of the Fred Page Cup Final on Tuesday night. The Birds lost their first game since March 16th on Monday as the Vees won 3-2. Surrey is still ahead 2-1 in the series.

The Eagles were out shot by the Vees for the third straight game as their 11 game playoff winning streak came to an end in Game 3. While Surrey had the edge in the special teams battle during the games in Surrey, the Birds gave up both a power play goal and a shorthanded goal on Monday night. Despite the loss, Nic Pierog found the back of the net again. He's scored in every game in the series and now has eight goals in 14 playoff games after scoring nine time in 54 games in the regular season.

Penticton's offense got back on track in Game 3 after going over 100 minutes without a goal. The Vees remain undefeated on home ice in the playoffs with a 6-0 record and will look to hold serve at home in Game 4. Brad McClure was a big part of Penticton's win on Monday as the Stratford, Ontario native scored two goals -- one on the power play and one shorthanded. The 19-year-old, who is set to attend Ferris State University next season, leads the Vees with seven goals in 12 post-season games.

Where: South Okanagan Events Centre

When: 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Vees Victorious in Penticton

Brad McClure scored twice and Cody DePourcq netted the winning goal in the third period as the Penticton Vees edged the Surrey Eagles 3-2 in Game 3 of the Fred Page Cup Final on Monday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Nic Pierog and Brady Shaw found the back of the net for Surrey in a losing cause. The Eagles are up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

The teams traded chances and goals in the opening period. Penticton got on the board first when McClure wired a wrist shot past Michael Santaguida from the right circle on the power play to put the home team ahead. The Birds responded though when Pierog found the back of the net off the rebound of a Jordan Klimek point shot to tie the game at 1-1. A few minutes later, the Eagles were given a power play when Thomas Nitsche was called for hooking, but it was the Vees that took the lead as McClure scored shorthanded with another well placed wrister off the rush. Surrey wasn't deterred though as Shaw equalized before Nitsche's penalty expired, burying a garbage goal from in front of the net.

Both teams had some notable opportunities to move in front in the second, but neither side was able to get the go-ahead goal. Wade Murphy hammered a shot off the cross bar from the high slot in the early going while Brett Mulcahy nearly scored for Surrey, but Chad Katunar stopped him on a good chance in front of goal. Katunar was pressed into action again later in the period, making a nice save on Shaw off the rush, and Murphy found the iron again for Penticton when he hit the post with a hard shot from the left wing.

Colton Mackie came close for Surrey in the third when he forced a turnover in the Penticton end and got a shot away, but Katunar turned Mackie aside and stopped Pierog on the rebound as well. DePourcq scored the eventual winner on a two-on-one after a nice pass from the left boards by Travis Blanleil to find him alone in front. The Birds tried to battle back in the game, but their comeback attempt was thwarted when Craig Wyszomirski was called for interference with less than three minutes remaining, limiting Surrey to a five-on-five scenario when they pulled Santaguida. 

Penticton went 1-for-4 on the man advantage while the Eagles were 1-for-2. The Vees finished ahead on the shot clock for the third straight game, firing 40 shots on Santaguida as opposed to Surrey's 28 shots.

Game 4 goes on Tuesday night at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Face-off is at 7:00pm. The two teams will return to Surrey for Game 5 on Thursday night. For tickets, call the Eagles office at 604-531-GOAL (4625) and help the Birds defend the nest.

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:

1. Brad McClure - Penticton

2. Chad Katunar - Penticton

3. Cody DePourcq - Penticton

My 3 Stars:

1. Brad McClure - Penticton

2. Cody DePourcq - Penticton

3. Nic Pierog - Surrey

Highlights courtesy of the Penticton Vees and the South Okanagan Events Centre.

Santaguida Picks Up Third BCHL POW

Before Game 3 of the Fred Page Cup Final on Monday, Michael Santaguida was named the BCHL's Player of the Week. It's the third time this year that the Surrey goaltender has picked up the award.

Here's the full release from the BCHL:

Surrey Eagles goalie Michael Santaguida has been named the Gongshow BCHL Player of the Week for the Week ending April 14, the league announced Monday.

Santaguida was busy Saturday night, making 50 saves to post his fourth shutout of the postseason as Surrey took a 2-0 lead in the Fred Page Cup Finals over the Penticton Vees. He earned 1st Star honours and was also named the FortisBC Energy Player of the Game.

In Game 1, the Mississauga, Ont. native made 31 saves and has a .976 save percentage to go along with a 1.00 goals-against average so far in the Finals. He is now 12-1 in the playoffs.

Honourable mentions this week:

Surrey Eagles F Demico Hannoun (2G 1A, GWG, 3rd Star)

Penticton Vees F Brock Balson (1G, series-opening goal)

Surrey Eagles D Craig Wyszomirski (1G 1A, GWG, 2nd Star)

Surrey Eagles F Michael Stenerson (2G 1A, GWG, 1st Star)

Pre-Game Report: Game 3 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles will visit the South Okanagan Events Centre on Monday evening to take on the Penticton Vees in Game 3 of the Fred Page Cup Final. The Birds hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after back-to-back wins on home ice.

The Eagles have now stretched their playoff winning streak to 11 games and are a perfect 5-0 on the road in the post-season. Goaltender Michael Santaguida has had an exceptional series to this point, posting a 1.00 goals-against average and a .976 save percentage through the first two games. Special teams have been a big factor in the series for the Birds as well. Surrey is 33.33% on the power play and a perfect 100% on the penalty kill.

Despite the fact that the Vees have out shot the Eagles 83-55 through two games, Penticton's top guns have struggled to score in the series. The Vees have now gone without a goal in the last 91:53 of action and will be hoping that a return to the friendly confines of the SOEC will spark some offensive production. Penticton is undefeated on home ice in the playoffs, and the Vees have been very strong in their own barn all year long, posting a regular season record of 19-7-0-2.

Where: South Okanagan Events Centre

When: 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Santaguida Stymies Vees

Michael Santaguida stole the show at the South Surrey Arena on Saturday night. The Mississauga, Ontario native made 50 saves between the pipes for the Surrey Eagles to pick up his fourth shutout of the playoffs, leading the Birds to a 2-0 win over the Penticton Vees in Game 2 of the Fred Page Cup Final. Surrey now holds a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Vees had a strong start to the hockey game, eager to get back on even footing after dropping the opening game of the series on Friday. Santaguida made a pair of nice stops on Ryan Gropp in the first to keep the Vees out, and Surrey got on the board just after the midway mark of the period when Demico Hannoun scored during a five-on-three advantage for the Eagles with a hard snap shot from the left face-off circle.

Surrey doubled the lead in the late stages of the second when Adam Tambellini made a nice deke through the middle of the ice, avoided a check from Thomas Nitsche, and found Nic Pierog down the right wing. Pierog wired a wrist shot past Penticton keeper Chad Katunar to double the Surrey lead. The Vees poured on the pressure in the final minute of the frame with a number of great chances after a frantic goalmouth scramble, but Santaguida managed to keep the puck out of the net.

Penticton carried the majority of the play in the third and put the Birds under relentless pressure at times. The Surrey defence bent but didn't break. Santaguida made a couple of gigantic stops in the third. His best save of the night came when Brad McClure pounced on a rebound and looked to have nearly scored, but Santaguida stretched the paddle of his stick across the goal line to make a remarkable stop. The Vees pulled the goalie near the end of the game and generated some good opportunities, but Santaguida turned aside everything he saw, and the Eagles skated away with the win.

The Birds were 1-for-4 on the man advantage while Penticton went 0-for-4. The Vees out shot Surrey 50-30 in a losing cause.

The series now shifts to Penticton for Game 3 and Game 4 on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
2. Chad Katunar - Penticton
3. Nic Pierog - Surrey

My 3 Stars:
1. Michael Santaguida - Surrey
2. Devon Toews - Surrey
3. Nic Pierog - Surrey

Pre-Game Report: Game 2 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles will look to take a 2-0 series lead on Saturday night when they host the Penticton Vees for the second straight evening in Game 2 of the BCHL's championship series. The Birds took the first game by a score of 5-2 on Friday evening.

Surrey's power play took advantage of some Penticton penalty troubles early in the second period on Friday, and it made the difference in the game as the Birds popped two goals past Chad Katunar on back-to-back five-on-threes. Michael Stenerson had a strong game up front, scoring twice, but the Eagles defence was very solid throughout the opener, limiting Penticton's scoring chances while Michael Santaguida made 31 saves in goal to pick up the victory.

The Vees, who entered the series with the best power play and penalty kill to this point in the playoffs, struggled on both special teams, allowing the Birds to score twice on the man advantage while failing to convert on their own opportunities. Penticton also surrendered a shorthanded goal. The Eagles did a good job of keeping Penticton's top forwards at bay as the likes of Louie Nanne, Jedd Soleway and John Siemer were unable to find the score sheet.

Where: South Surrey Arena

When: Be there at 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast or on 88.7FM in the arena

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

Stenerson Scores Two in Win Over Vees

The Surrey Eagles opened the 2013 Fred Page Cup Final with a 5-2 victory over the Penticton Vees at the South Surrey Arena on Friday evening. Michael Stenerson led the way offensively for the Birds with two goals and an assist. For Penticton, the game marked only the second loss of the playoffs and the first time the Vees have trailed in a series this year.

Penticton came out of the gate quickly and carried the play throughout the majority of the opening period. Cody DePourcq had a good opportunity in the early going when he walked out front after forcing a turnover on the end boards, but Michael Santaguida kept the puck out. The Vees eventually opened the scoring after the Eagles got caught on a line change, sending Ryan Gropp and Brock Balson in on a two-on-one. Balson tipped a pass from Gropp past Santaguida to put the visitors ahead. Penticton got a power play late in the frame, but it was the Eagles who scored while down a man as Stenerson's backhander from the slot took a weird bounce and ended up in the back of the Vees' net.

The Birds got some power play time of their own early in the second after Thomas Nitsche took two penalties on one play, and Robert Mann followed him to the box a few moments later, giving the Eagles an extended five-on-three. Stenerson tallied his second of the evening with a hard shot from the right circle to put Surrey ahead, and because the goal came before the end of Nitsche's first minor, the Birds remained on a two-man advantage. Craig Wyszomirski extended the lead just 31 seconds after Stenerson's goal with a shot from the point that found its way past Penticton goalie Chad Katunar. The Vees got one back before the end of the period when Wade Murphy scored on a wraparound after Santaguida was caught out of the net and couldn't get back across to the far post in time to make a save.

Try as they might, the Vees couldn't score on the Eagles in the third. Surrey's defence corps played a strong positional period and kept the Penticton forwards from generating much in the Eagles' end. The Birds went ahead by two when Demico Hannoun rippled the mesh after deflecting a Wyszomirski point shot, and Nic Pierog added some insurance in the final minute, beating Murphy in a foot race for the puck and scoring into the empty net to clinch the win.

Surrey won the special teams battle in the game as the Eagles went 2-for-5 on the power play and scored a shorthanded goal as well. Penticton was 0-for-2 on the man advantage, although the Vees did out shoot the Eagles 33-25.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series goes Saturday night at the South Surrey Arena. For tickets, call 604-531-GOAL (4625).

Pro4 Sports 3 Stars:
1. Michael Stenerson - Surrey
2. Craig Wyszomirski - Surrey
3. Demico Hannoun - Surrey

My 3 Stars:
1. Michael Stenerson - Surrey
2. Craig Wyszomirski - Surrey
3. Wade Murphy - Penticton

Pre-Game Report: Game 1 - Fred Page Cup Final

The Surrey Eagles will host the Penticton Vees in the opening game of the 2013 Fred Page Cup Final on Friday night at the South Surrey Arena. The two teams played only twice in the regular season, and both teams picked up one win and one loss.

The Birds are back in the BCHL Final for the first time since 2005. On that occasion, Surrey defeated the Vernon Vipers in five games to claim the league's top prize. Heading into the series this time around, the Eagles boast the top three playoff scorers as Brady Shaw, Michael Stenerson and Adam Tambellini have combined for 43 points. Meanwhile at the other end of the ice, goaltender Michael Santaguida has the league's best goals-against average (1.61) and save percentage (.956) in the post-season.

The Vees find themselves in the final two for the second straight year. In 2012, Penticton swept the Powell River Kings in four games to capture the Fred Page Cup en route to winning the Royal Bank Cup as Canada's top Junior A team. This year, the Vees are coming off a series win over the West Kelowna Warriors in the Interior Conference Final. Minnesota native Louie Nanne has led the offense for Penticton, tallying five goals and six assists in nine playoff games while Chad Katunar has been solid between the pipes for the Vees.

If you're attending the game, make sure to bring your radio to the rink and listen to the live play-by-play on 88.7FM in the arena.

Where: South Surrey Arena

When: Be there at 7:00pm

How to listen: Eagles Broadcast or on 88.7FM in the arena

How to watch: Fast Hockey

Head-to-Head Breakdown

The Matt Erhart Show: April 8, 2013

On the latest edition of the Matt Erhart Show, the Eagles' Head Coach and GM talks about the series sweep of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in the Conference Final, the upcoming series against the defending champion Penticton Vees and the accomplishment of reaching the Fred Page Cup Final.

Eagles vs. Vees: By the Numbers Part 2

Here's the second part of my statistical preview of the BCHL Final, looking at numbers to this point in the playoffs.

Playoff Record

Surrey – 10-1

Penticton – 8-1

1st Round Breakdown

Surrey defeated Langley 3-1

Penticton defeated Salmon Arm 4-0

2nd round Breakdown

Surrey defeated Chilliwack 3-0

Penticton defeated West Kelowna 4-1

3rd round Breakdown

Surrey defeated Alberni Valley 4-0

Home/Road Record

Surrey - Home: 5-1; Road: 5-0

Penticton - Home: 5-0; Road: 3-1

Goals

Surrey outscored Langley 14-6

Penticton outscored Salmon Arm 16-6

Surrey outscored Chilliwack 12-6

Penticton outscored West Kelowna 22-15

Surrey outscored Alberni Valley 12-6

Even Strength Goals

Surrey outscored Langley 9-4

Penticton outscored Salmon Arm 10-4

Surrey outscored Chilliwack 11-4

Penticton outscored West Kelowna 17-13

Surrey outscored Alberni Valley 9-3

Power Play

Surrey: 9/56 (16.07%)

Penticton: 11/42 (26.19%)

Penalty Kill

Surrey: 4/37 (89.19%)

Penticton: 3/31 (90.32%)

Surrey Goalies

Michael Santaguida: 10-1, 1.61 GAA, .956%, 11GP

Penticton Goalies

Chad Katunar: 8-1, 2.15 GAA, .926%, 9GP

Surrey Top Scorers

Brady Shaw (6-10-16) 11GP

Michael Stenerson (6-8-14) 11GP

Adam Tambellini (9-4-13) 11GP

Demico Hannoun (3-6-9) 10GP

Trevor Cameron (5-3-8) 11GP

Devon Toews (0-8-8) 11GP

Penticton Top Scorers

Louie Nanne (5-6-11) 9GP

Sam Mellor (4-6-10) 9GP

Brad McClure (5-4-9) 9GP

Jedd Soleway (4-5-9) 9GP

Wade Murphy (3-6-9) 9GP

James de Haas (3-5-8) 9GP

John Siemer (3-5-8) 9GP

Eagles vs. Vees: By the Numbers Part 1

After beating the West Kelowna Warriors in overtime on Thursday night, the defending champion Penticton Vees advanced to the Fred Page Cup Final to take on the Surrey Eagles. The two teams only played each other twice during the regular seasons with both games coming less than a week apart in late January. Here's a full statistical breakdown of the season series.

Record in Season Series

Surrey - 1-0-0-1

Penticton - 1-1-0-0

Game-by-Game Breakdown

January 5, 2013 at Penticton; Penticton won 3-2 in OT

January 11, 2013 at Surrey; Surrey won 2-1

Home/Road Record

Surrey - Home: 1-0-0-0; Road: 0-0-0-1

Penticton - Home: 1-0-0-0; Road: 0-1-0-0

Goals

The teams both had four goals

Even Strength Goals

Surrey outscored Penticton 4-3

Power Play

Surrey: 0/6 (0.00%)

Penticton: 1/12 (8.33%)

Penalty Kill

Surrey: 1/12 (91.67%)

Penticton: 0/6 (100.00%)

Surrey Goalies

Michael Santaguida: 1-1-0, 1.91 GAA, .944%, 2GP

Penticton Goalies

Nic Renyard: 1-1-0, 1.93 GAA, .922%, 2GP

Surrey Top Scorers

Brady Shaw (2-1-2) 2GP

Adam Tambellini (2-0-2) 1GP

Michael Stenerson (0-1-1) 2GP

Craig Wyszomirski (0-1-1) 2GP

Drew Best (0-1-1) 2GP

Demico Hannoun (0-1-1) 2GP

Penticton Top Scorers

Troy Stecher (2-0-2) 2GP

Brad McClure (1-1-2) 2GP

Jedd Soleway (1-0-1) 1GP

James de Haas (0-1-1) 2GP

Cody DePourcq (0-1-1) 2GP

Schedule Change to BCHL Final

Due to a Motley Crue concert at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton on April 20th, the BCHL has tweaked the schedule for the Fred Page Cup Final series between the Eagles and Penticton Vees.

Here's the full release from the BCHL:

With rockers Motley Crue setting up shop at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton April 18, 19 and 20, there has been a slight adjustment in the BCHL Fred Page Cup finals.

Originally, an April 19 Game 6 was slated for the SOEC but, if the series goes that far, it will have to be moved to accommodate the Crue.

Here's the new finals schedule:

Friday, April 12 -
Penticton @ Surrey, 7:15pm

Saturday, April 13 -
Penticton @ Surrey, 7:15pm

Monday, April 15 -
Surrey @ Penticton, 7pm

Tuesday, April 16 -
Surrey @ Penticton, 7pm

**Thursday, April 18 -
Penticton @ Surrey, 7:15pm

**Sunday, April 21 -
Surrey @ Penticton, 7pm

**Monday, April 22 -
Penticton @ Surrey, 7:15pm

** If necessary

Batch's Breakdown: Conference Final vs. Alberni Valley

After sweeping the Chilliwack Chiefs in the Mainland Division Final, the Eagles had three days off before starting the Conference Final against the banged up and tired Alberni Valley Bulldogs. The Birds went on to sweep the Dogs in a hard fought series that featured three one-goal games -- two of which went to overtime. Surrey has now strung together an impressive nine game winning streak and is 10-1 in the playoffs.

Friday, March 29th - Game 1

The opening game of the series was a hard fought, albeit defensive affair. The two goaltenders -- Michael Santaguida and Jay Deo -- were both strong between the pipes. The Birds found the lone goal of the game when Demico Hannoun scored on a breakaway with less than two minutes remaining in the third, and the Eagles went ahead 1-0 in the series.

Saturday, March 30th - Game 2

The Bulldogs came out with purpose in the second game of the series, and Evan Tironese opened the scoring early in the middle frame. Adam Tambellini equalized for the Eagles on the power play, but Tironese returned serve with a shorthanded goal to give Alberni a 2-1 lead after two. Brady Shaw pulled the Birds back onto even terms in the third with a highlight reel goal, sending the game to overtime. Nic Pierog scored the winner on a deflection for Surrey.

Monday, April 1st - Game 3

Game 3 was another close one with the goaltenders battling at either end of the ice in Port Alberni. Shaw put the Birds ahead with a breakaway goal in the dying seconds of the middle frame, and Tambellini extended the Surrey lead to 2-0 with an early goal in the third. But a desperate Bulldogs team rallied to tie the game, getting back-to-back power play goals from Jared Wilson and Teal Burns, and the game needed more than 60 minutes. Pierog played the role of hero once again when he scored on a wraparound after Deo came out of the net to play the puck and turned it over, giving the Eagles a stranglehold in the series.

Tuesday, April 2nd - Game 4

The Eagles took the lead in the fourth game, scoring a goal in the first period for the first time in the series when Shaw beat Deo off the rush. Surrey added three goals in the second period from Michael Stenerson (2) and Craig Wyszomirski. Alberni Valley rallied again in the third to make it 4-2 thanks to goals from Burns and Ryan Buse, but the Eagles held off the late charge from the Dogs. Stenerson added an empty netter to complete the 5-2 win.

Positives from the Series

The Birds fought hard throughout the four games and got the job done, giving them a nice long rest ahead of the Fred Page Cup Final. Surrey's ability to squeak out victories in close games will serve them well going forward -- as it has all season long. I said it after the Chilliwack series, but I will say it again; the Eagles got a complete team effort to win this series. Every single player chipped in to help the team advance.

Looking at a few individual performances, Pierog was simply clutch. The hulking centreman scored the two OT winners but was also incredibly strong in the face-off circle. I've talked a lot about how Pierog has really blossomed in the second half of the season, and in this series, he showed that he can be a high-end contributor in this league. Stenerson had another big game when it mattered most as well, tallying a hat-trick in the series clinching win. 

Devon Toews was a warrior in the series too, chipping in offensively with a handful of points, but more importantly staying strong in his own zone. Matt Erhart often talks about how Toews might not get enough credit for his defensive play, and I completely agree with him. The Abbotsford native was a rock in the defensive end of the ice and was a big part of a Surrey blue line that held the Bulldogs to six goals in four games.

Between the pipes, Santaguida was phenomenal again. He made a couple of gigantic stops in Game 4 including a late save on Burns in the third period on a chance that would have pulled the Dogs to within one goal. As the playoffs carry on longer and the games get more important, Santaguida has stepped up his game to another level, and it's been an pleasure to watch.

Negatives from the Series

For the second straight series, the Birds gave up a shorthanded goal. As Erhart said when I chatted with him before Game 3, "You can't give up a shorthanded goal in the playoffs." While Surrey has been strong at even strength, the power play was 16.67% in the series. A couple of extra goals on the man advantage could have meant the difference between overtime and regulation wins in a pair of those games.

The team's play in the third period of Game 4 was a bit worrying as well. The Eagles had a 4-0 lead, but allowed the Dogs off the mat and gave them a chance to get back into the game. It's kind of funny to say that the team needs a little more of a killer instinct after sweeping a series, but I think more urgency in scenarios like that could be important when you look ahead at the prospect of strong competition from Penticton.

Eagles Goal of the Series

Brady Shaw's Goal in Game 2. Watch it here.

Eagles Save of the Series

Michael Santaguida's Stop on Teal Burns in Game 4. Watch it here.

3 Stars of the Series

1. Nic Pierog

2. Michael Santaguida

3. Brady Shaw