With the regular season wrapped up with a 5-2 win, the Sicamous Eagles are raring for playoff action.
First opponent: rivals the Revelstoke Grizzlies.
Despite the Eagles having won two more games than the Grizzlies in regular season play, team manager Wayne March is playing his cards close when it comes to predicting an outcome in the first round of the playoffs. Not surprisingly, he’s rooting for Sicamous. But he doesn’t expect either team will take it in four games.
“I think we’ve got more depth in scoring, we’re bigger and stronger, but I don’t want to say too much or read into anything,” says March.
Sicamous had three games last week, two of which ended in wins over the Chase Heat. The third versus the North Okanagan Knights resulted in a 3-3 tie.
The first of the games, Feb. 13 on Chase ice, saw Sicamous come home with a 3-1 victory.
Chase goalie Jacob Mattes stopped 17 shots on net, versus the nine served up by his team in the first frame. But neither Chase nor Sicamous was able to find the back of the net. That didn’t occur until the first two minutes of the second period, when Sicamous’ Riley Jepsom potted an unassisted goal. The Heat responded at the halfway mark, but the tie was broken before the period’s end on a power-play conversion by Quinn Rempel, assisted by Jameson Stoski and Brad Crump.
Final goal of the night was on a power play in the third period by Eagle Steven Powers, assisted by Brad Crump and Brendan Devries.
Crump was named the game’s first star.
On Feb. 15, the Eagles were in Armstrong to do battle with the North Okanagan Knights.
After another scoreless first period, Marcotte struck hard with two back-to-back goals, both assisted by Alex Dartnall and Brad Crump. The Knights potted two before the period’s end.
Marcotte earned the hat trick when he converted an early power play in the third period into goal number three for Sicamous. The Knights got the rebound later in the frame. The game wound up going into double overtime, but neither team could break the tie.
Sicamous was back on home ice on Feb. 16, when they doused the Heat with a 5-2 win.
A marker by Jamie Gallo in the first period was tied up going into the second frame, where Sicamous dominated. Michael Bell took the hat trick this time, with his first and second of his three goals interrupted by a marker from teammate Cameron Berry. Chase’s second goal came late in the third frame.
Berry was named first star, while teammates Kris Joyce and Cameron Berry were named second and third.
Feb. 22 marks the first of the playoff games, to be played in Sicamous. For $25, fans can be bused to Revelstoke and back to help cheer on the Eagles during away games.