Game Story

Surrey Eagles vs Coquitlam Express Pre Game Report

by Ryan Ho

Belly Of The Beast

Coquitlam, BC – For the final time in this 2019-20 B.C Hockey League season the Surrey Eagles (26-23-7) will play a game away from the South Surrey Arena, and for the final time this season they’ll go up against the BCHL’s best team, the Coquitlam Express (45-8-2). This game has huge playoff implications for the Eagles, as with a win tonight will keep the dream for home ice advantage in the playoffs alive. It’s also one final test to see how ready the Eagles are for the Fred Page Cup Playoffs which will get started on February 28th. Coming into tonight’s game, the Eagles are 1-4-2, and 0-2-1 on the road against the Express.

It’ll be Tommy Scarfone who gets the call tonight for the Eagles as they’ll look to prove to themselves they can beat anyone in their own barn. Adamo Santia and Kenny Riddett both might get rest days after suffering some bumps and bruises in the win on Family Day against the Chilliwack Chiefs. The full roster for the Eagles will be posted on the team’s social media channels later today.

Who To Watch Out For

The Coquitlam Express announced over the past week that goaltender Clay Stevenson has been shut down for the remainder of the year and playoffs due to implications regarding his NCAA commitment to Dartmouth, which means a huge piece for the Express won’t be between the pipes for Coquitlam in the playoffs. Add up some piling injuries and the Express aren’t as dominant as they were. With all that being said, they’re still the best team in the league for a reason and are no easy match for any BCHL team. The Eagles will look to prove they’ll be just as tough, and tonight’s players to watch will reside in both teams’ crease’s.

Surrey Eagles: Tommy Scarfone

It’s been one heck of a season for the Quebec native, but Scarfone was the team’s 1st half MVP after carrying the team through their rough patch and helping the club turn around in early November. For the season, the top tier goaltender has a record of 13-11-5, a save percentage of .918% and a goals against average of 2.74. He also earned his first BCHL shutout in his last game against the Chiefs. While he’s split more games with newcomer Reece Klassen, it’s in no way attributed to Scarfone’s game changing ability, and he’ll put those tools on full display tonight against the Express.

Coquitlam Express: Jack Watson

The probable starter for the Express tonight will be Toronto, Ontario native Jack Watson. The RPI commit has had himself a solid year in his own right, with a 2.54 GAA and a .909 save % to follow a 12-4-1 record. Watson is 2-1 against the Eagles this year, and will do his best to provide what Stevenson has all season for a team with championship aspirations.

3 Keys To The Game

There’s no bigger test for the Eagles than tonight’s game. The team is still battling for 2nd place in the Mainland Division, with Surrey and Chilliwack playing their 1st of 2 games to finish off their regular season schedule. The Eagles haven’t won yet in Coquitlam, but it wouldn’t feel right to earn 2nd place by having both teams lose tonight and earning it on the final day. The Eagles are looking to make a huge statement, and in order to do it they’ll need to follow these 3 keys to the game.

  • Traffic In Front Of Watson: Watson is a good goaltender, shown by his NCAA Division 1 commitment already as the season has progressed. However, Stevenson has been the best goaltender in the league, which might provide the slimmest of opportunities for teams to pounce. The last time Watson played the Eagles he was incredible, and the Eagles need to do a better job of getting traffic in front of Watson so he can’t see the shots and control rebounds as easily.
  • Keep It Simple: It’s a hockey cliche, but it’s only a cliche because when teams keep things simple, they win more hockey games. The Eagles road record is one of the best in the league because of how good they are at keeping things simple and making the right plays at the right times. They’ll need to play a near perfect game again tonight, and keeping things simple will make that a lot easier.
  • Powerplay: While both special teams units will be important in tonight’s game, the Eagles powerplay will be the difference in winning or losing the contest. If the Eagles can capitalize on their powerplay opportunities and allow Scarfone and this defense corps to lock things down, the boys will win their 1st game inside the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex. Simple as that.

Summary

It’s easy to wake up for massive games like this no matter what point of the season you’re in when they’re scheduled. For the Eagles, playing with playoff positioning still on the line gives them even more incentive to go in and get the job done against the BCHL’s best. It’ll be an incredible game inside the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex, with the game set to start at 7:15pm.

Can’t make the drive out to Coquitlam tonight? You can catch the live broadcast on HockeyTV and Mixlr. The broadcast will start at 7:05pm, with the opening puck drop slated for 7:15pm from the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex.