Following a close loss to the reigning KIJHL champion Kimberley Dynamiters, the Sicamous Eagles soared over the Kamloops Storm for the win on the road on Sept. 28.
The Storm pounced on an early interference penalty levied against the Eagles to open the scoring just over four minutes into the game.
The Eagles got a power play opportunity of their own just over a minute later and tied the game up, with a goal from Jordan Sheasgreen assisted by Dallas Stewart and Justin Hodgson.
The Storm replied as Therann Kincross got the pass from Carter Adams and fired the puck by Cole Steinke, who was manning the Eagles’ net.
Colby Sherlock scored for the Eagles with just under nine minutes to go in the opening period, and the 2-2 tie held until the first intermission.
Aaron Plessis broke the deadlock and gave the Eagles their first lead of the game in the opening two minutes of the second frame; Nicholas Cossa was credited with the assist.
After the remainder of the second period went scoreless, Cossa picked up a goal of his own on the power play near the midway point of the final period to stretch the Eagles’ lead to two.
The Storm weren’t ready to roll over and give up yet, potting a goal off the stick of Julian Fodor. Sherlock tallied up his second goal of the game just over a minute later to keep it a two-score game.
With under two minutes left to play, Hodgson scored the Eagles’ sixth of the game. The Storm came back to score one more in the final minute leaving the final score 6-4 Eagles.
The following night the Eagles took on the Revelstoke Grizzlies, eager to avenge the 11-1 defeat they suffered at the Revelstoke squad’s hands on Sept. 15.
The Eagles were up 2-1 in front of the home crowd at the end of the opening period. The Grizzlies rallied to leave the score 6-2 by the end of the second period. Eagles coach Rob Fitzpatrick said his team ran into some penalty problems in the third period resulting in a 6-2 final score.
To round out the weekend, the Eagles travelled to Chase for a Sunday afternoon matchup. The teams had unfinished business as their Sept. 14 game ended in a tie.
The Eagles struck first with a goal from David Cloutier in the opening minutes. The remainder of the first period went scoreless as each team’s goaltender shrugged off nine shots from the opposition.
Kasey Jackson got the Heat on the board early in the second but Brandon Pelletier restored the Eagles’ lead in short order.
Stewart added to the lead with another goal before the end of the second period.
Although they peppered Steinke with 15 shots in the third period, the Heat were unable to pull off a comeback.
With 30 seconds to go, Chase’s Cam Watson seized the man advantage left by a holding call against the Eagles to score, but it was too little too late for them.
“It was just a really good weekend, the team seems to be building every weekend,” Fitzpatrick said of the Eagles’ performance.
He said sacrifices the team made last year seem to be showing results so far and the coaching staff is happy with the squad’s progress as well as picking up four of six points this weekend.
The Eagles hit the ice again on the road in Invermere against the Columbia Valley Rockies on Oct. 5 before returning home to play the 100 Mile House Wranglers the following night.
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jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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