Eagles' Season Ends in OT

The Surrey Eagles' season came to a heart-breaking end on Saturday night with a 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of the Summerside Western Capitals in the semi-final at the 2013 RBC Cup. Chris Caissy scored the winner for the hosts at 16:57 of the first overtime period to lift Summerside into Sunday's championship game against the Brooks Bandits.

The Birds out shot the Caps in the first period and had the better of the chances, but neither team was able to find the net. Eagles forward Colton Mackie was given a game misconduct less than five minutes into the game after a check from behind, reducing the Birds to 11 forwards in the early stages.

The middle frame was a similar story. Both sides had opportunities, but both Kevin Bailie in the Summerside net and Michael Santaguida in the Surrey goal played lights-out to keep the game scoreless. The game's first goal came in the final minute of the period when Summerside took the lead on the power play. Justin Rasumussen carried the puck below the goal line and made a nice centring pass to JP Harvey in front of the net, and Harvey made no mistake, firing a quick one-timer past Santaguida.

Surrey tied the game less than five minutes into the third after Drew Best was sprung in on a breakaway, and the Plymouth, Michigan native fired a wrister into the top shelf to tie the game. The Western Capitals answered back to retake the lead when Danny Chiasson chipped a rebound across the Surrey goal line, but the Birds would even the score once again. This time, it was the captain Brett Mulcahy who deftly deflected Dan O'Keefe's point shot into the back of the net, eventually sending the game to overtime.

Both teams had their opportunities in the overtime period before Caissy's winner. Demico Hannoun had the best chance for Surrey when Best found him in the slot with a pass off the left boards, and Hannoun tipped the puck on net, forcing Bailie into a difficult save. Caissy ended the game and the Eagles' season when he made a nice move to create some space in the slot and wired a shot just inside the left post.

The Eagles out shot the Capitals 52-45 in the game. Surrey went 0-for-4 on the power play while Summerside was 1-for-7.

The game marked the end of 11 junior careers for the Eagles as Michael Stenerson, Brady Shaw, Adam Tambellini, Devon Toews, Michael Santaguida, Craig Wyszomirski, Dan O'Keefe, Trevor Cameron, Troy Paterson, Anthony Brito and Tanner Lenting will all move on, either because of their age or an NCAA scholarship.

Surrey Player of the Game: Michael Santaguida

Summerside Player of the Game: Kevin Bailie

My 3 Stars:
1. Chris Caissy - Summerside
2. Kevin Bailie - Summerside
3. Michael Santaguida - Surrey