Worth The Wait

Burnaby, B.C. – After more than a year of waiting to play meaningful games, and nearly 5 months in between any game action at all, the Surrey Eagles finally got to play in a regular-season game. Well, it was worth the wait for Eagles fans, as the team knocked off the Coquitlam Express in the first game of the 2021 Pod season by a score of 5-1.

The Eagles saw 5 different players score goals in a game where every line was rolling from start to finish. Eagles head coach Cam Keith was quick to point out how his team was so successful offensively. “We created a lot of opportunities with fast puck movement and support.”

It all started halfway through the 1st period when Buddy Johnson tipped home the Eagles’ first goal of the season off a point shot from defenseman Jimmy Darby. While the Eagles gave up the equalizer with just 18 seconds left in the 1st period off a Coquitlam scramble, it was clear the Eagles were ready to play after having controlled play through the first 20 minutes.

Through the final 40 minutes, the Eagles would score 4 unanswered. Jacob Slipec, acquired at the trade deadline from fellow Coquitlam pod member Powell River Kings, scored the game-winner halfway through the 2nd period after banging home his own rebound. Alec Saretzky, Michael Abgrall, and Wil Kushnyryk rounded out the scoring for Surrey.

Cam couldn’t single out one player after the performance his group turned in. “Everyone contributed tonight offensively. It’s really hard to pick a standout player which is a positive sign for our group.” Yet despite the win, there were some things to improve upon for the remaining 19 games of the pod season. “We can be better at managing the puck and playing within ourselves. The hockey will get harder as teams find their games and we’ll need to adjust accordingly.”

The Eagles will look to continue their winning ways on Easter Sunday against the Powell River Kings. The game is slated to start at 1:00 pm on April 4, 2021. You can watch the game live on BCHL TV (powered by HockeyTV), and listen on Mixlr.com/eaglesbchl.