Sixty minutes has not been enough time to decide any of the Sicamous Eagles last three games; the results have not been favourable for the local KIJHL squad.
After long games against Kelowna and Summerland, which left the Eagles with a loss and a tie respectively, a home game against the North Okanagan Knights on Jan. 12 was the next challenge ahead.
After the puck was dropped to start the game at the Sicamous and District Rec Centre, both teams wasted no time turning up the pressure on the opposing goaltender. The Eagles skaters put 11 shots on North Okanagans net while Cole Steinke kept 16 shots from the Knights out of Sicamous’ goal. When the referee whistled an end to the first period, the game remained scoreless.
The second frame went much the same as the first,with neither team able to slip the puck past the opposing goaltender. With 1:30 to go in the period, Trysten Brookman scored his fifth of the season, assisted by Dallas Stewart, to get the Eagles on the board. The Knights were unable to answer the Eagles goal in the final seconds of the middle period and so the game went into the final 20 minutes with the Eagles ahead.
The visitors tied the game up eight minutes into the third off the stick of Kevin Thomas-Walters. Shortly after the tying goal, a shoving match broke out which led to a roughing penalty dealt to both Brookman and Ethan Matchim of the Knights. The Eagles were unable to eke out another lead before the end of regulation time and the game went into overtime.
With only two and a half minutes remaining, Jett Saharchuk scored the game-winner for North Okanagan.
Following the (overtime) loss the Eagles record slips to 12-16-3-4, leaving them third in their division. The Eagles are nine points behind the 100 Mile House Wranglers who hold second spot in the Doug Birks division of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference. They had a chance to make up some of that ground during a game in 100 Mile House on Tuesday, Jan. 15 after the Eagle Valley News print deadline. Following the 100 Mile House game, the Eagles will pay a visit to their nearby rivals up the lake in Chase on Saturday, Jan. 19, before playing another Tuesday night road game against the division leading Revesltoke Grizzlies on Jan. 22.
After a road game against the Kelowna Chiefs, the Eagles will end the month with a two-game home stand against Kamloops and Kelowna. They will kick off the last month of regular season play with three consecutive home games against 100 Mile House, the Grand Forks Border Bruins and the Summerland Steam.
