The Sicamous Eagles celebrated after they closed the regular season with a win before gearing up for the first round of playoffs in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
In a home-and-home weekend with Revelstoke, the local team suffered a close 2-1 loss on the road Friday, Feb. 16, before rebounding with a 5-4 win in a shootout in front of a home crowd of 524 the following night. Alex Smith contributed the lone goal in the first game, and added another two in the following night’s win, with Everett Boutcher and Warren Roberts-Lee also contributing before Daniel Kroon got the tie-breaking shot in the shootout. Offering assists were Roberts-Lee, Josh Missfeldt, Devon Barclay, Hayden Evans, Alex Dunnett, Luke Rothfros and Kroon for the team to end the season sitting in fifth with 63 points.
The Eagles let loose at a dinner and awards night on Sunday, Feb. 18, with some hardware and gag gifts given out by members of the team’s board of directors.
In his first season as an Eagle, during which he contributed 21 points, Duncan Paradis earned the Heart & Hustle Award, while rookie Josh Missfeldt, with 23 points, was named Best Defenceman, and Alexander Leskiw earned the Most Improved Award with 11 points. Owen Dewitt and Hayden Evans, who both added 50 points and tied for ninth of points leaders in the league, were named the team’s Rookies of the Year, and Top Scorer’s in the Doug Birks Division, with Dewitt also named the division’s Top Rookie. Two-season veteran Daniel Kroon was named Most Valuable Player for the team as well as the for the division, with the league saying in a statement that “the Calgary product played a big factor in the Eagles being one of the KIJHL’s best teams.”
“I can’t wait to win a championship with you guys this year,” assistant coach Ben Marshall, who was named the team’s Best Redhead in joke awards, told the team. “Let’s go to war!”
Now facing the first round of playoffs, the Eagles will take on the Kamloops Storm starting on Friday, Feb. 23, running until March 4 in a seven-game series if needed.