After splitting the last two games, the Sicamous Eagles fell behind 2-1 in the first playoff series against the Princeton Posse in the bid for the KIJHL Teck Cup.
Following a shutout, 3-0 loss to open the round, the Eagles made it one all with a 2-1 win over the Posse on Saturday, March 1.
The game was scoreless in the first, with both teams putting in time in the sin bin instead, including a 10-minute penalty for fighting. The Eagles got their head in the game in the second when Reyd Langan lit up the board at 2:25 on the power play, with Colton Fleming and Ashton Gallagher collecting assists. Gallagher potted the game winner just over eight minutes later off passes from Fleming and Hayden Evans for a 2-0 lead going into the final frame.
Princeton rallied 4:20 into the third but, unable to find the back of the net again, dropped the game to tie the series. Eagles goalie Gabe Bergeron made 43 saves in the win.
The tables turned in the Monday, March 3 match when the Eagles lost 3-2 after forcing the game into overtime.
The Posse opened the action with the lone marker 7:03 into the first frame, before the Eagles responded and took the lead early in the second. Maguire Nicholson got them on the board 1:10 in, with Dylan Konschuh and Jackson Romeril picking up assists, followed by Ashton Angle just minutes later with a power play goal from Fleming and Nick Wright. The Posse tied it up mid-frame and, with a scoreless third, the game went to OT where Princeton fired in the game-winning marker at 10:45.
Kael Svenson was tagged with the loss in net, despite making 43 saves. Having recently earned the award for Top Goaltender in the Bill Ohlhausen Division, the rookie player was also named one of the 3 Stars of the Month for February after going 2-2-0 in six games and saving 158 of 164 shots for a 1.50 goals against average and .963 saving percentage in 241 minutes of play.
The teams face off again tonight, March 4, with the puck drop at 7 p.m. in the Sicamous Rec Centre.
This also marks the last week of ticket sales in the Eagles' 50/50 draw, which can be purchased here or through the link on the team's Facebook page.
"Help us support our team with their push to the next round," urged Eagles treasurer and fundraising coordinator Jamie Sherlock.
