Last week was not exactly one to remember for the Surrey Eagles, after the junior hockey team won just once in four games, sinking further down the BC Hockey League standings as a result.
Last Wednesday, the Eagles dropped a 4-3 decision on the road to the Coquitlam Express, before bouncing back Friday night at South Surrey Arena to beat the Chilliwack Chiefs in a high-scoring 7-6 affair.
In the rematch, Saturday, however, it was the Chiefs who prevailed, winning 6-4.
Then, rounding out the busy week, Surrey dropped a 2-1 decision to the Langley Rivermen in a Remembrance Day matinee.
“It would’ve been nice to win two out of three (on the weekend),” Eagles coach/GM Peter Schaefer said Tuesday.
“The two games against the Chiefs were just sloppy all around. Just so many sloppy turnovers. But we were better Monday against Langley, I thought. That game was more of a playoff style, with tight defence.”
In the 7-6 win, Surrey – which peppered Chilliwack goaltender Josh Halpenny with 55 shots – was led by captain Brett Mulcahy and the Renouf brothers, Jonah and Nathan, all of whom had four-point nights. Mulcahy and Nathan Renouf each had two goals and two assists, while Jonah Renouf had a goal and three helpers.
Surrey also got goals from Nic Pierog and Colton Mackie, while the Chiefs were led by Austin Plevy, who had two goals, and Carter Cochrance, who had three assists.
In the rematch Saturday at Chilliwack’s Prospera Centre, the Chiefs scored two goals in each of the three periods to win 6-4. Surrey’s goals came off four different sticks – Michael Roberts scored in the first, Mulcahy in the second and Pierog and Danton Heinen each scored in the third frame.
The Eagles tightened up defensive Monday, allowing just 21 shots-on-goal versus the Rivermen, while firing 29 on Langley netminder Brock Crossthwaite.
Despite the loss, it was a game Schaefer said he was happier with – “I liked our compete level,” he said – and hoped it was a sign his squad was ready to turn a corner and reel off some wins.
Whether his players felt the same way, he quipped “your guess is as good as mine.”
“But we’ve got meetings today, and we’ll have some good practices, so we’ll see where they’re at,” he said.
After the 1-3 skid, Surrey has a 9-14-1 record and though they still sit fourth in the BCHL’s Mainland Division – where they’ve been for weeks – but are now a full 12 points back of the first-place Rivermen.
And despite their position in the division, Schaefer insisted it was no time to worry.
“There’s a long way to go yet,” he said. “So it’s no time to panic, but it’s time to start getting some wins.”
The Eagles hit the road this weekend for a pair of games in Prince George.
The Birds will battle the Spruce Kings – who sit second in the Mainland Division with a 13-7-2-2 record – on Friday night and again on Saturday before returning home.