The Eagles peewees went on a roll this weekend sweeping the visitors to boost their season win total from one to three.
After beating Juan de Fuca 5-2 in Port Alice on Saturday in league action, the side turned in a see-saw, 5-3 win over the Tier 3 Campbell River Tyees in Port Hardy on Sunday.
The local team combined the unstoppable force with the immovable object on Sunday, performing well on both ends of the ice.
In goal, Michael McLaughlin was well served by his defensive line, and was able to perform a series of great saves to blunt the momentum of the visitors each time they got rolling.
David Charlie scored first for the home side, then supplied the assist to Taylor Ranger — a constant thorn in the visitors side in front of goal — after Campbell River had leveled the score.
The visitors pulled back again with a minute left in the period to finish the first all square.
The home side got caught on the back foot early in the second, as the visitors took the lead for the first time. This lead only lasted a minute however, as the locals showed their heart to fight back.
Charlie linked up again with Ranger, and she saw her close-range effort careen off the goalie’s stick before looping high overhead and dropping behind his out-stetched glove to tie the game.
The Eagles added two more in quick succession midway through the period, as first Devin White then Tanner Roberts found the back of the net, both assisted by Charlie, and the Eagles were sitting pretty at 5-3.
In the third, the Eagles settled into a disciplined defensive game, frustrating the visitors time and again.
Benton Browne repeatedly shut down break away attempts from the visitors, and those shots that did get off were collected by McLaughlin as the Eagles soaked up the pressure and turned it into chances of their own.
It was a great performance from the home side, composed, intelligent and with heart. The wins may have been slow in starting this season, but they were earned fair and square this weekend.
Eagles 5, Grizzlies 2
The peewees got another quick start courtesy of Charlie, and added goals from Ranger and White to carry a 3-0 lead into the final period in Port Alice.
Juan de Fuca scored in the opening minute of the period to draw within 3-1, but White punched home two more goals to complete a hat trick for a 5-1 Eagles lead with 6:53 to play.
The Grizzlies managed a final score with 3:55 left, but that was all the resurgent peewee defence would allow.
