The Surrey Eagles started the new year off right last week, winning two of their first three games of 2018 – though their most recent victory came only as a result of a last-minute comeback.
On Sunday afternoon at South Surrey Arena, the Eagles edged the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters 5-4 in overtime, but the game was nearly over in regulation, as the home team trailed 4-3 in the final minute until, with netminder Nic Tallarico on the bench for the extra attacker, Surrey forward Jeff Stewart – who also scored the team’s first goal – tied the game with 52 seconds remaining.
Then, in the sudden-death period, defenceman Perry Winfree scored his third goal of the season, pinching down from the blue line before firing a wrist shot over the right shoulder of Trail goalie Adam Marcoux to give the Eagles the win.
Tallarico made 23 saves to earn the victory, which boosts the Eagles third place in their division with 46 points and a record of 20-14-4-2 (win-loss-overtime loss-tie). Both the Rivermen and Prince George Spruce Kings remain ahead of them in the quest for a division title, with 50 points each. The Eagles, however, have played two fewer games than Langley and one less that the Kings.
