Cross-River Rivalry
Tonight, the Surrey Eagles (4-8-0) will look to snap out of their 4 game losing streak against one of the best teams in the Mainland Division, the Coquitlam Express (8-2-0). A tough task for Cam Keith’s young squad, but a great opportunity for the team to get back on track against an opponent they’ll need to overcome at some point in this 2019-20 B.C Hockey League campaign. Coquitlam took round 1 of the cross-river rivalry, handing the Eagles a 3-0 loss, which spoiled the Eagles home opener back on September 13th. This game is also the start of a 3 game homestead for the Eagles as they’ll look to improve on their 1-3 record at ‘The Nest’.
There aren’t any changes to the lineup for the game tonight, as the Eagles will look to continue to build chemistry with their full roster. Scarfone will be the starter, and looks for his first win since September 28th. You can check out the full roster later today on our social media channels.
Who To Watch Out For
The Eagles might have lost their last 4, but they’ve played 2 of their better games of the season the past 2 games against the Cowichan Valley Capitals and the Chilliwack Chiefs. They’ll need to keep up that intensity against an Express team which boasts the 2nd best goal differential in the league. As such, this Eagles team will need to utilize their olympic size ice to their advantage to open up the game and create some quality scoring chances. Who will do that tonight? Well, you can check out our players to watch out for below, for both teams.
Surrey Eagles: Owen Nolan
Eagles defensemen Owen Nolan has had a slow start to his campaign, and he knows it. Nolan only has 1 assist in 8 games so far, but the Army West commit’s superior skating and offensive instincts lead people around the organization to believe there’s more to his game, including Nolan himself. Look for Nolan to be a physical presence, and break out of his scoring slump tonight to help spread the ice and lead the Eagles to victory.
Coquitlam Express: Steven Bellini
For the Express, their leading scorer is on their blueline. Steven Bellini paces the team in scoring with 10 points in 10 games, all of them assists, while being a rock on the blueline to help Coquitlam to an .800 winning percentage. The 19 year old defenseman from Ontario will look to continue his hot start as a quarterback on the powerplay, and being one of the leaders in his own zone as well.
3 Keys To The Game
Going up against a team with the 2nd best winning percentage in the BCHL is never easy, and for a team that hasn’t gotten the bounces in their past few games, it can be a tough hill to overcome. However, this Eagles team has shown time and time again they’ll be resilient all year, and are looking forward to this upcoming test. To pass with flying colours, here are the 3 keys to the game.
– Utilize The Bigger Ice Surface: The Eagles haven’t done a good job this year using the Olympic size ice at ‘The Nest’ to their advantage, and are 1-3 at the South Surrey Arena this year. If the boys can spread out Coquitlam and take advantage of the extra ice, they’ll be able to play their high skill game and set themselves up for not just this game, but the rest of the year.
– Stay Disciplined: For the 2nd game in a row, the Eagles will take on a team which has the best powerplay in the league at the time they’re facing them. Last week, Chilliwack led the league; tonight the Express are on top, clicking at a 28% clip with the man advantage. The Eagles need to keep themselves out of the box tonight in order to increase their odds of breaking their 4 game slump.
– Stay Confident: Finally, the boys can’t hang their heads after their past 2 losses, as they were some of the better games this team has played through the young season. If the Eagles can continue their strong run of play, and carry it through the entire 60 minutes, then they should be able to take control of the game tonight and show Coquitlam this team isn’t one to take lightly.
Summary
A great game is on tap tonight at the South Surrey Arena, as the Express and Eagles get set for their 2nd game of the 8 game season series. The Eagles will look to protect their home ice, stay out of the box, and stay confident against one of the best teams in the BCHL through the first 5 weeks. This cross-river rivalry adds another chapter in their 2019-20 BCHL season, and will be must watch BCHL action.
Tickets are available for tonight’s Mainland Division showdown. You can come to the box office at 6:00pm and pick up your tickets right at the doors. Can’t make it to the South Surrey Arena tonight? Don’t worry, you can catch the live broadcast on HockeyTV and Mixlr. The broadcast will start at 6:50pm, with the opening puck drop slated for 7:00pm from the ‘The Nest’. Tonight’s broadcast will also be the free featured broadcast on HockeyTV, so if you can’t make it out, there’s no excuse to not tune in.
