Slump-busting Sunday?
Tonight, the Surrey Eagles (4-9-0) will look to bust out of their October long funk, and get their first win of the month against the Trail Smoke Eaters (7-5-1). The Smoke Eaters record is solid, but what’s even more impressive is Trail comes to town in the midst of a 7 game winning streak to completely turn their season around. A front runner for the B.C. Hockey League MVP, Kent Johnson and the rest of the Smoke Eaters present another tough test for an Eagles team looking to bust out and start a winning streak of their own. However, Trail is coming off 2 wins this weekend and are playing their 3rd game in 3 nights. Something to watch out for as the game moves along.
The lineup will have one change up front today, and the Eagles will turn to goaltender Cal Schell as he attempts to win his 3rd game of the season, but his first since September 22nd against the Langley Rivermen. Look for tonight’s full lineup later today on our social media channels.
Who To Watch Out For
A battle of 2 teams going in opposite directions in their BCHL campaigns. While the Smoke Eaters are riding the high of a 7 game win streak, the Eagles 5 game losing streak sees them 5 games below .500. The Smoke Eaters have one of the best lines in the league, while the Eagles balanced attack will look to bust out of their scoring funk, as they’ve only scored 9 goals in their previous 5 games. Tonight, look for one of the Eagles top players to stand out and try and lead this group out of their slump. Here are tonight’s players to watch, for both teams.
Surrey Eagles: Cristophe Tellier
The Sherbrooke, Quebec native has been one of the Eagles best players throughout the year, and needs to step up tonight and help lead the boys to victory. His 12 points is tied for the team lead in scoring, and his excellent vision and playmaking has been on full display through the young season. As one of the assistant captains on this team, he likes to lead through his actions, and he’ll need to be excellent again tonight to try and give the boys some momentum to beat this tough test from Trail.
Trail Smoke Eaters: Kent Johnson
One of the best players in the BCHL, Kent Johnson has exploded after a slow start and has brought his season totals to 8 goals, 16 assists, and a gaudy 24 points in just 13 games. An absolute game-breaking talent which has been one of, if not the main reason the Smoke Eaters have turned their season around. A player with as much talent as Johnson is almost impossible to stop, but the Eagles will attempt to tonight.
3 Keys To The Game
For an Eagles team which is in the midst of their worst slump of the season, but one of the biggest signs of optimism is that the Eagles are still in almost every game they’ve played despite the results. While frustration is starting to creep into the Eagles game, the boys will need to keep themselves composed and play as a team if they want to beat the Smoke Eaters. Here are tonight’s 3 keys to the game.
– Stay Composed: The boys need to erase the past 5 games out of their memory, and come into this one with a fresh mindset. As the losses have mounted, the boys have started to play a little too individualistic, and their teamplay and overall game has suffered because of it. If the boys want to get back into the win column, they need to play as a team, and play within their structure.
– Stay Disciplined: While the Eagles went into the 3rd period of their 2-1 loss against Coquitlam down by just a goal, 4 penalties in the 3rd period essentially took them out of the game and they couldn’t mount the equalizer with just 12 minutes remaining after the PIM’s. The Eagles need to be disciplined, as the Smoke Eaters have one of the best players in the league, but also because they need as much time as possible to try and break out of their scoring slump.
– 5 on 5 play: The Eagles need to improve their 5 on 5 scoring this season, as they haven’t done enough at even strength to win their last 5 games. The powerplay is starting to click a little better, with goals in their last 2 games, and 3 of their last 5 games. If they can add a little bit more offense at even strength, their powerplay can help propel them to wins, instead of just keeping them in games.
Summary
There’s no question the Eagles are frustrated in the midst of their losing streak, but the boys know they have a great opportunity to try and break out tonight at home. While the Smoke Eaters are riding a 7 game winning streak, they’re playing their 3rd game in 3 nights and fatigue may be a factor. If the Eagles can play as a team through the full 60 minutes, stay disciplined, and improve at even strength, they’ll win their first game in the month of October. Puck drop is at 4:00pm, and the doors will open at 3:00pm from the South Surrey Arena.
Tickets are still available for this afternoon’s game! You can walk up to the box office starting at 3:00pm to buy your tickets, or visit our single game tickets page and start the preorder process. Can’t make the game tonight? No worries. You can catch the broadcast on HockeyTV and Mixlr tonight, starting at 3:50pm.
