Minerva’s Double-OT Winner Lifts Eagles Over Spruce Kings

The Surrey Eagles once again proved to their fans the calibur and offensive ability of their franchise. The boys in green and white beat the Prince George Spruce Kings 2-1 in a double-overtime thriller.

Surrey netminder Micheal Botiz held off 33 saves on 34 shots, while Prince George netminder Tavin Grant put on a stellar night between the pipes for the Spruce Kings, stopping 47 of shots.

The ball got rolling hard in the opening moments of Thursday night, as Defenceman Tyler Cooper took a puck to the face and forward Jesse Nelson was forced to go off to the dressing room while favouring his right leg. Prince George netted the game’s first goal, courtesy of Chong Lee, but Surrey’s special teams capitalized. Darius Davidson would take a pass from Desi Burgart on the goalie’s right side, putting in his 12th of the season and his 50th as a Surrey Eagle. After the opening 20 minutes, the score stood tied at 1-1.

The goaltenders would steal the show in the middle frame as no goals were registered between both teams. Botiz stopped all 12 shots he faced, while Grant stood tall against a gritty Eagles offense, denying all 19 shots on goal from the home team. Surrey and Prince George remained tied at 1-1 after 40 minutes.

The third period and first overtime would solve nothing between these two Mainland Division teams, but it was the home team coming out on top for a sixth time at the Nest this season. Nick Minerva potted his fourth of the season lifting the Eagles to their seventh win of the year, matching last season’s win total.

“I was actually going to open up and take a slapshot,” Minerva said about his goal after the game. “It was too close to my feet, so my brain just told me to shoot it, and that’s what I did. It went in!”

Surrey’s record improves to 7-12-2-0, while Prince George drops to 9-11-0-2.

Minerva called the win “A huge step in the right direction to where we want to be.”

Minerva’s game-winner was awarded with the game’s First Star, while Botiz’s 33-save performance was given the Second Star. Prince George’s Tavin Grant rounded out the top three with the Third Star.

Darius Davidson’s power-play goal was enough the Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game.

The Surrey Eagles will now set out on another BCHL Island Division excursion for the Remembrance Day long weekend. The boys will start in Alberni Valley on Saturday at 7PM to take on the Bulldogs. They’ll wrap up their two-game stint in Duncan on Sundayafternoon, where’ll look to avenge an earlier loss in September against the Cowichan Valley Capitals; puck-drop goes for 2PM.