The Chiefs maintained top spot in the BCHL and Mainland Division with a 5-2 win over the Surrey Eagles on Friday night, improving their record to 31-11-1-0.
Matt Holmes opened the scoring with his 20th of the season at the 6:07 mark of the first period with Brett Willits and Kevin Wall adding assists. While Brayden Shaw served a bench minor for too many men on the ice, Jacques Bouquot put the Chiefs up by two at 16:12 of the first. However, the Eagles didn’t give up and Jeremy Smith put the hometown team within 1 with just under 30 seconds left in the first stanza. The period would end with the Chiefs up 2-1.
Surrey answered back early in the second with Brandon Santa Juana beating Chiefs’ netminder Nolan Hildebrand tying the game at 2. Minutes later Carter Wilkie would give the Chiefs the lead again scoring his 8th of the season on the power-play, with the assists going to Brett Willits and Marcus Tesink. Skyler Brind’Amour would round out the second period scoring potting his 11th of the season at the 18:44 mark, giving the Chiefs a 4-2 lead.
The third period saw the Eagles come out flying outshooting the Chiefs 12-6 but they weren’t able to capitalize on their chances and narrow the Chiefs’ lead. With Marcus Tesink taking a late penalty, the Eagles went on the power-play and pulled netminder Calen Dolan to give them a 2-man advantage. However, the Eagles weren’t able to find the back of the net or stop Harrison Blaisdell who scored his 27th of the season into an empty Eagles goal securing the Chiefs win.
The Chiefs went 2 for 3 on the power-play and outshot the Eagles 32-25. Tonight’s win put the Chiefs 2 points up on the Penticton Vees and 5 points on the Prince George Spruce Kings who earned a point tonight in a 3-2 shoot out loss to the Vees.
The Chiefs return to Surrey on Sunday January 19th for a 4pm rematch, their next home game is Wednesday January 23 against the Coquitlam Express, game time is 7pm.
