Surrey Eagles vs Chilliwack Chiefs: Game 6 Preview

Do Or Die

Surrey, BC – For the first time in the series, a loss would send a team home as the Surrey Eagles are fighting for their playoff lives against the Chilliwack Chiefs in a crucial game 6. It was a dominant effort by Chilliwack in game 5, where they took a 3-2 series lead against the Eagles after their 3-0 win on Thursday. While the loss stings for Surrey, the Eagles will come into tonight’s game with confidence as they’re 2-0 in the series on the bigger ice surface inside the South Surrey Arena.

Tommy Scarfone is the expected starter for tonight’s game after his strong run of play through games 2-5. Kieran O’Hearn returned to the lineup on Thursday, and Brendan Kim will be a game-time decision. The full Eagles roster will be posted on our social media channels later today.

Who To Watch Out For

The Eagles have been great against the Chiefs this season inside ‘The Nest’. They’re combined record including the regular season is 6-0, and that’s in large part to the Eagles figuring out how to defend their home ice. Yes, it’s do or die tonight for Surrey, but they’ll look to play without the nerves that normally creep up on a team on the fritz and force a game 7. For tonight’s players to watch out for, the Eagles will look towards their captain while the Chiefs will see the return of their top defenseman.

Surrey Eagles: Hudson Schandor

This is where great leaders shine. With his everything on the line, look for Schandor to have his best game of the series to help his team force the pivotal final game in Chilliwack. Schandor has a goal and 4 assists in 5 games in the series, and will look to lead the troops to the win tonight.

Chilliwack Chiefs: Cooper Moore

The top defenseman for Chilliwack has done his part in helping the Chiefs to a 3-2 series lead. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick with a commitment to the University of North Dakota has been great in his 4 playoff games, with a goal and 2 assists. Moore missed game 5 due to the flu, and his return is a massive addition to this Chilliwack team who’ll look to close out the series.

3 Keys To The Game

For Surrey, it’s easy to say ‘play a 60 minute game and you’ll be fine’ but there’s more the Eagles will need to do. With so much at stake, it’s easy to get caught in the moment and freeze up. However, this Eagles team has fought through adversity all season, and there’s no bigger test then facing elimination. For a crucial game 6, here are the 3 keys to the game.

  • Special Teams: The Eagles were shutout in game 5, and it didn’t help their powerplay went 0 for 4. The Eagles powerplay connected in games 3 and 4, which helped them tie the series up at home. They’ll need it clicking tonight if the Eagles want to force a game 7.
  • Keep Emotions In Check: Elimination games are tough… One mistake could be the reason your series ends, or continues based on who makes it. The Eagles need to forget about the consequences and go play their game. If the Eagles do that, their season will continue.
  • Put It All Out There: There are no more lifelines, no more 2nd chances. So while the Eagles need to keep their emotions in check, they also need to show up with their best effort of the season. This is where the Eagles will need to show their fight, their ability to claw back from anything, and force that decisive final game.

Summary

The stakes haven’t been higher in the series for either team, and it’s going to set up an incredible Saturday night inside ‘The Nest’ in South Surrey. The Eagles will need to claw back with one final win at home to force game 7, while the Chiefs will try and earn the hardest win to get in a series. If the Eagles can get their special teams rolling, keep their emotions in check, and put everything on the line, they’ll be successful in forcing one last game in Chilliwack.


Can’t make the game tonight? No worries. You can catch the broadcast on HockeyTV and Mixlr tonight, starting at 6:50pm. Puck drop for tonight’s game will be 7:00pm.