The Surrey Eagles exploded for five second-period goals to twice erase two-goal deficits, and then road some high-quality goaltending for a 5-3 B.C. Hockey League victory over the visiting Langley Rivermen on Sunday afternoon at the South Surrey Arena.
The win snapped Surrey’s three-game losing streak, but as head coach Cam Keith wryly said afterwards, “It was not your coach’s dream for how to get two points.”
The Rivermen were playing their third game in three days while for Surrey it was their first game of the weekend. However, Langley was full credit effort-wise. They out-shot the home team in all three periods, 45-29 overall, including 14-6 in the final frame.
After a scoreless first period, the second period was as free-wheeling as they come. Langley jumped ahead for a 2-0 lead with goals a minute apart before the three-minute mark. After Holden Katzalay responded for Surrey 13 seconds later, Langley took its second two-goal lead courtesy Rivermen star Brendan Budy at 7:55. Then it was Surrey’s turn to play bang-bang-bang with goals from Christian Fitzgerald, with his first in the BCHL, Katzalay again and then Adamo Santia in the span of three minutes to jump into a 4-3 lead by the 11:25 mark.
Minutes later, Eagles starting goaltender Cal Schell took an inadvertent stick to the head/neck area from teammate Brett Bliss and was forced to leave the game. Enter Thomas Scarfone, who essentially stoned the Rivermen the rest of the way, and he needed to, even though Surrey stretched its lead to two when captain Cody Schiavon blasted home a one-timer on the powerplay at 15:15 for the team’s fifth goal in just over 12 minutes.
“It should have been a one-goal game multiple times,” said Keith of the game from that point forward and in his praise of his goalie. “[Scarfone] never gives up on plays, he is always trying to get to the areas which causes them to take that extra second to try to score. He’s an amazing athlete. He really competes. I thought [the Rivermen] played great. They were physical, and created a lot of opportunities around our net. It could easily have been a game where we couldn’t come back.
“You need your goaltender to be your best player most nights if you’re going to be a good team. Right now, it looks like we have two guys who can win us some games, so it’s huge.”
As for the never-say-die attitude the Eagles displayed after falling behind, the rookie head coach noted of his rookie-laden team, “The battle-back has always been there for us this year, which is a huge positive. That’s one characteristic our group has, they don’t quit. They’re young and resilient. We’re just too up and down right now.
“But, it’s great for the guys to get their first win at home. It wasn’t the prettiest but we’ll take the win and put in a good week of practice to improve upon the things we need to improve upon.”
Katzalay finished with three points to take over the team scoring lead with 4-4-8 for the now .500 Eagles. Winger Brandon Santa Juana, who was both Surrey’s rookie of the year and MVP last season, had three helpers to give him six assists in the team’s first six games, although he has yet to score himself.
Due to a scheduling quick, Sunday’s game was first of three straight between the two teams, with Langley back at South Surrey Arena on Friday night before the teams go right back at in Langley on Saturday night. The Eagles will then face their own three games in three nights stretch when they host the Cowichan Valley Capitals next Sunday afternoon.
