A pair of losses for the Sicamous Eagles set up a clash with their closest KIJHL divisional rivals the Kamloops Storm. The Eagles had a busy weekend in front them when they faced off with the North Okanagan Knights on Friday Jan 24.
The game in Armstrong turned out to be an overtime nail biter after the Knights put on a third period comeback., ending in a second overtime period with a final score of 4-3.
The Eagles were back home for a game against the Summerland Steam the following night. The Steam scored in the games opening minute and Ethan Grover followed up with a shorthanded marker late in the period. Brayden Haskell (assisted by Cole Nisse and Jaxon Danliec) got the Eagles on the board before the first period was over leaving the score 2-1 after 20 minutes.
The Steam scored their third goal shortly before the halfway point of the game and then with a manpower advantage on the power play they added to their tally. Eagles Owen Spannier (assisted by James Pedersen) slipped the puck by Eric Sherger in the Steams net to make the score 4-2 as the game entered the third period.
Jaxon Danilec scored the first goal of the third frame (assisted by Haskell and Brandon Pelletier) to make it a one goal game. With just over 5 minutes remaining Morey Babakaiff scored on Koltin Dodge to give the visiting Steam a 5-3 lead. The Steam hit penalty trouble a few minutes later and Michael Wong capitalized on the power play (assisted by Andrew Berkelaar and Danilec) giving the Eagles a chance to score again and force overtime with 3:30 left to play. The Eagles pulled Dodge from the net for an extra skater, but the Steam got the puck and scored their sixth and final goal of the game with 1:47 to play. The Steam won 6-4.
Down two games for the weekend, the Eagles made the trip to Kamloops to take on the Storm but lost 6-2. The Kamloops squad dashed out to a three goal lead in the opening period.
Jakob McLean scored (assisted by Wong) the Eagles first of the night early in the second period but a fourth Kamloops goal left them with a deep hole to climb out of in the third period.
Wong scored (assisted by Pelletier and Evan Vasarhely) his second of the weekend on a power play in the opening minute of the third. The Storm put the game away with a pair of goals, both from Tyler Maser, to wrap up a 6-2 defeat for the Eagles.
The loss was especially unfortunate for the Eagles as they now trail the Storm by 9 points in their hunt for a KIJHL playoff berth. The Eagles will get another crack at the Storm before the end of the month as they visit Kamloops on Jan 31.
