The last weekend of KIJHL regular-season action was bound to be a challenging one for the Sicamous Eagles. The Eagles were scheduled for a double-header against the Revelstoke Grizzlies, who entered the weekend with a formidable 9-2 record which had them sitting atop the Doug Birks division of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference.
The first of the two games was held at the Revelstoke Forum on Friday, Nov. 1. As the game progressed, goaltenders at both ends of the ice distinguished themselves, turning away multiple shots in a low-scoring contest which was decided in the final seconds.
The visiting Eagles got themselves on the scoreboard first with a goal seven minutes after the opening face-off; Salmon Arm native Brayden Haskell’s name was marked on the scoresheet with Brandon Pelletier and Jaxon Danilec credited with the assist.
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The remainder of the first passed scoreless as did the entire second period. Koltin Dodge, manning the Eagles’ net, turned away nine shots in the middle frame and 17 attempts by the Eagles couldn’t find their way by Andrew Palm at the opposite end of the ice.
The home team got themselves on the board less than two minutes into the third period as Brenden Volcano found his way into the Eagles’ zone and scored on Dodge unassisted.
With under 10 minutes left to play, things got violent between the two teams. Danilec and Travis Szafron of the Grizzlies were dealt major penalties for fighting, accompanying minors for cross-checking and roughing and sent packing with game misconducts. Dodge was also sent off on a game misconduct for head contact, leaving backup goaltender Reed Mclennan to take over for the remainder of the game.
With just 41 seconds remaining Kole Christensson scored the game-winner for the Grizzlies to leave the final score 2-1.
The following night, the teams met again in Sicamous. After a pre-game ceremony recognizing local emergency responders, the Eagles and Grizzlies were back to it.
The Grizzlies seemed to have the Eagles’ number for the second night in a row scoring four times in 11 minutes to start the game off.
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Taking advantage of a power play in the final minutes of the period, Julian Fodor breathed some life into the Eagles with a goal assisted by Pelletier and Trysten Brookman. Tristan Walz capped off an action-packed first period, scoring another for the Eagles with just seven seconds remaining.
The Grizzlies added a fifth goal off the stick of Cash Sawchyn to their tally in the second period.
A pair of power-play goals for the Revelstoke squad in the back half of the third frame sealed the game’s outcome, a 7-2 thrashing of the Eagles and two points in the league standing for the Grizzlies.
The Eagles will look to recover from the pair of tough losses with a road trip to face the Princeton Posse on Saturday, Nov. 9.
@SalmonArm
jim.elliot@saobserver.net
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