Inconsistency continues to plague the Surrey Eagles, who were saddled with two more losses on the weekend.
On Friday, the Eagles lost 3-2 on the road to their BC Hockey League rival Chilliwack Chiefs, and Saturday at South Surrey Arena, fell 5-3 to the visiting West Kelowna Warriors. In both contests, the Eagles were either tied or ahead in the third period, before coughing up points to the opposition.
“We’re just a little inconsistent right now – turning over the puck too much,” said Eagles head coach Peter Schaefer.
“And when you’re constantly turning it over – not just in the defensive zone but on offence, too – it’s tough to get much going.”
Against Chilliwack Friday, the game was knotted 2-2 after 40 minutes, until Chiefs’ leading scorer Austin Plevy scored a shorthanded goal 9:52 into the third period to give the home team the lead.
Joseph Drapluk and captain Brett Mulcahy scored for the Eagles, while goaltender Bo Didur was tagged with the loss in net.
The following night, against the Warriors, Surrey held a 3-2 lead heading into the final frame – on goals from Kale Bennett, Austin Ferguson and Mulcahy – but West Kelowna tied the game on a pair of power-play goals, and then Tyson Dallman, who scored the tying goal, fired home the winner with less than two minutes to go.
“We just have to get back to doing the simple things right. Because when you do the small things, right, they turn into big things, and that’s when you start to get some wins,” Schaefer said.
“Right now we’re not getting the bounces, but we don’t deserve to get them right now.”
Devon Fordyce took the loss in net for the Eagles.
The Eagles have a 7-10-1 record as they head into November, and site fourth in the BCHL’s Mainland Division. By not picking up a point last weekend, they fell nine points back of the division-leading Langley Rivermen, who won twice.
The Eagles are at home for two games this weekend. On Friday, they host the Prince George Spruce Kings and Saturday, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs come to town. Both games start at 7 p.m.
Adamo dealt
The brief logjam in the Surrey Eagles’ crease has been settled.
Last week, the Eagles dealt former starting goaltender Victor Adamo to the St. Michael’s Buzzers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for future considerations.
Adamo, 20, became expendable when the team picked up 19-year-old Fordyce from the Brooks Bandits earlier this month.
While Adamo had been mostly solid in net for Surrey, Schaefer said the move was made to increase roster flexibility, as dealing Adamo frees up one of six 20-year-old spots on the roster.
“He’d been good for us, but he had let in a couple weak ones lately, and 20-year-old spots, you only get six, so you need those guys to be impact players,” Schaefer said.
“And Fordyce is only 19, so he can come back here next season, too.”
With five other 20-year-olds still on the roster, the trade allows the Eagles to move defenceman Danny Vlanich – who turns 20 Nov. 25 – from the reserve roster to the regular roster.