Hockey
Winslow’s Wild Moves Motivates Eagles
One might classify it as sweet revenge given the recent track record of poor bounces and sheer bad luck given the stack of injuries they have faced the past while, but redemption is everything.
The Mainland of the BCHL is stacked like a shelf at Costco and with Langley, Chilliwack and Surrey all having aspirations of moving up in standings, home ice comes to play for all three clubs.
This night was extra special as the Eagles hosted the Self-Advocates of Semiahmoo as their guests are a group made up people with diverse abilities and forward thinking ideas and is about real change.
In hopes of advancing in the standings the Eagles would start Davidson, while the Spruce Kings to the surprise of no one, would run with Evan DeBrouwer.
The first period saw both teams play tentative with minimal shots at both ends of the ice with the first marker of the game seeing Saether send the puck along the wall to Campese who managed to keep it on-side at the blue line sending one off the back boards.
The rebound saw Brushett slide a back pass to Stewart on the right side of the crease and with time and space he managed to draw DeBrouwer to the right commit then pulling it to the left sliding one in for the first of the game at 7:46 of the period.
While both teams had chances for shots at the net, neither managed to get the puck on goal with the Eagles outshooting PG by a 8-6 margin after one.
Both Greg and I talk about the luxury of having and getting a fast start and the Eagles obviously were listening as it took a short 22 seconds in for them to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
Norton cut from the left side getting a shot on net that DeBrouwer turned aside only to have Campese grab it and circle the net managing to slide it in the left corner collecting his 22th of the season.
The highlight goal of the night and maybe even the season might be the third of the game with Winslow doing all the dirty work or better yet, impressive work sending the puck to Westgard.
Not just any pass, but one from his knees and while he was sliding he took an extra stab at the puck managing to deliver it to Westgard who in turn sent a one-timer cross ice to Burgart on the right side of the net who sent one top shelf at 7 giving the Eagles a 3-0 lead over Mainland Division leading Spruce Kings.
Despite the 3-0 Eagles lead the Spruce Kings managed to get on while on the PP at 8:27 with Hayward diminishing any chance of a shutout for Davidson.
The Eagles again controlled the shot department in the second by outshooting PG by a 13-10 margin and 21-16 through two.
The third saw PG come out strong managing to pull within one at 6:11 as Watson-Brawn made it a one goal game (3-2) sending more shots directed at Davidson forcing the “D” to close the door on any attempts thrown at them.
The Spruce Kings were caught on a poor clearing play sending it to the blue-line allowing Brushett to steal the dump out and dangle in and around four defenders cutting to the middle delivering a one-timer top shelf at 8:40 grabbing his 19th of the season allowing the Eagles to double up (4-2) on the score.
The final goal of the game came with Wesley busting in on the right side getting hammered off the puck by Ruddy, somehow managing to stay with the puck.
Using his burst of speed he cut off the boards to the middle still being hounded by three defenders managing to slide one over to Westgard who sent a back-hand shot over DeBrouwer putting the Eagles up by three.
Showing speed and versatility PG pulled DeBrouwer with just under two minutes remaining allowing them to pepper Davidson with shot after shot only to be turned aside by strong play from the “D” inside the zone.
As called by Greg at the end of the game “this battered Eagles team that has struggled as of late tired beat the top team in the Mainland Division” that will allow them to focus on Sunday’s game against Penticton.
PG’s Evan DeBrouwer faced 34 shots managing 29 saves, while Eagles Daniel Davidson faced 29 shots managing 27 saves through 60 minutes.
FORTISBC PLAYER OF THE GAME
THREE STARS:
1st Ty Westgard (1 Goal/1 Assist)
2nd Ryan Brushett (1 Goal/1 Assist)
3rd Matthew Campese (1 Goal/1 Assist)
Join the Eagles for the final regular season home game Sunday February 18th as they face-off against the Interior Division leading Penticton Vees with the face-off set for 4 pm.
Please remember that this is the final skate with the “Eagles” as they focus on heading to the 2017-17 BCHL play-offs.
The Eagles thank you for your continued support throughout the season and look forward to an entertaining and productive play-off run.
#GOEAGLESGO!!!!