The Sicamous Eagles went two for three on the weekend, including a huge win on the road against Castlegar. The Eagles beat the Castlegar Rebels 11-3 in Castlegar Feb 2, after losing on the road to Grand Forks 6-3 the night before and topping Kamloops 3-0 at home on Friday Jan 31.
In Castlegar, Jaxon Danilec scored the games first goal two minutes after the opening whistle (assisted by Brayden Haskell). The Rebels replied on the power play but a short handed (unassisted) goal from Haskell kept the score in the Eagles favour. The Rebels tied the game again before the halfway point of the first frame but the second half of the period belonged to the Eagles and Danilec, the Eagles top scorer, who netted two more for his hat trick before the period came to an end (assists to Owen Spannier and Haskell).
In the second period, Owen Spannier scored unassisted and then the Rebels put a third goal on the board for a score of 5-3 Eagles. From there the Eagles dominated the game. Danilec took advantage of the power play to score yet another goal before the end of the period (assisted by Haskell and Spannier).
The Eagles battered the home team in the third, beginning with a shorthanded goal from Malik Kaddoura in the opening minute (assisted by James Pedersen and Michael Wong). Danilec scored his fifth of the game and 25th of the season (assisted by Wong). He was quickly followed by Michael Wong who scored (assisted by Tristan Walz) to put the Eagles up 9-3. Cort Shapka tried to follow Danilecs lead, putting up two goals minutes apart (assists from Andrew Berkelaar, Kaddoura, Danilec and Haskell). At the final buzzer, the Eagles were on top 11-3 for their most convincing win of the season.
As a result of the five-goal night in Castlegar, Danilec is sixth in KIJHL scoring, tied with Elvis Slack of the Border Bruins.
Sicamous started the three games in three nights series by blanking the Kamloops Storm 3-0 Friday, exciting the home crowd at the Sicamous and District Rec Centre. (A 31 save shutout for Sicamous goaltender Cole Steinke. Sicamous goals scored by Malik Kaddoura, Brandon Pelletier and Jaxon Danilec with assists going to Isaac Thomas, Danilec, Cole Nisse and Pelletier). Buoyed by that win, they were headed to Grand Forks Sarturday. The Border Bruins scored the only goal of the games first period. The home team then outpaced the Eagles four goals to two in a thrilling second period. The Eagles third period single was answered by the Bruins wrapping up a 6-3 win. (Eagles goals were scored by Malik Kaddoura X 2 and one from Carter Courtney, assists from James Pedersen, Jaimes Guidon, Trysten Brookman, Owen Spannier and Kaddoura).
Coming up for the Eagles is a road game against the 100 Mile House Wranglers on Feb 7, followed by a chance to rack up another win against the Storm on Sunday Feb 9. Next weekends game against the Storm and another on Feb 14 are especially important as the Eagles are nine points behind Kamloops and its playoff fate hangs in the balance.
