Following the pattern of exhibition play, the Sicamous Eagles opened the regular season with split games over the weekend against two teams new to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KILHL).
On Friday night, Sept. 20 the team was in Williams Lake where it was unable to tame the Mustangs and suffered a 5-2 loss, with the game taking place primarily in the second frame. The first had no scoring and just three penalties assessed, before things kicked off when Dawson Ernst put the 'Stangs on the board 38 seconds into the following frame. Rory Mumford followed that up with another before Hayden Evans scored for the Eagles a minute later, with assists from Tristen Bailey and Austin Horbachewsky.
Williams Lake went on to take the win, with Ernst earning his second of the night, followed by a pair from Asher Lucas. Clayton Gillmore then earned his first KIJHL career goal for the Eagles midway through the third, assisted by Bailey, but the team still fell short of taking the game.
In a 180 the following night, Saturday, Sept. 21, the team celebrated a 5-3 victory over the Quesnel River Rush, formerly the North Okanagan Knights whom new bench boss Liam McOnie used to coach.
After the teams exchanged a handful of penalties in the first, the Eagles took advantage of a power play when Devon Barclay lit up the board at the midway mark, assisted by Nick Wright and Ashton Gallagher. Ashton Angle was hot on his heels with the team's second just two minutes later, with Colton Fleming and Jackson Maloney adding assists.
The River Rush swept away the second frame, with Ian George potting one on a power play, followed by Cash Anderson with an unassisted shot, before the Eagles regained their momentum in the third. Wright found the back of the net just 29 seconds in, followed up minutes later by Emry Stewart with the game-winning goal. Gillmore, Matthew Marino, Tye Matthews and Hunter Fuoco all added assists.
Quesnel's Josh Greenough took advantage of a power play before Angle let it get down to the wire before potting an insurance goal, his second of the night, at the 19:59 mark, with an assist from Alexander Leskiw.
With McOnie having previously stated he expects Angle to produce more this year, the sophomore player is off to a good start.
"He does a lot of things really well," the coach said in a Sept. 13 media release. "And is strong with his stick and does a good job of winning puck battles and making plays in tight areas."
The Eagles are back on the ice Friday, Sept. 27 when they face off against the Posse in Princeton, followed by the their regular season home opener Saturday, Sept. 28 as they host the Merritt Centennials. The puck drops at 7 p.m. both nights.
