Talk about making a good first impression.
One day after being acquired from the Vernon Vipers at the BC Hockey League’s trade deadline, Surrey Eagles’ forward Adam Tambellini scored both goals for his new team in a 2-1 home win over the Penticton Vees Friday.
And if that wasn’t enough, the encore was even more impressive, as Tambellini – a University of North Dakota recruit and NHL draft prospect – scored three goals and added two assists in a 10-2 spanking of the Langley Riverman on Sunday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre.
“The early returns are pretty good,” said Eagles head coach Matt Erhart, in what might be an early contender for understatement of the year. “Adam is a great talent, and putting him and Brady (Shaw) on the same line, that can create some problems for opposing defences.”
The Eagles won their first of three games Wednesday, 6-2 at home to the Coquitlam Express. Surrey is now perched atop the Mainland Division with a 24-10-1-3 record.
Against the Rivermen, the game was close in the early stages – Surrey went up 2-0 in the first period, but Langley clawed both goals back in the first five minutes of the second, at which point Erhart called a timeout to regroup.
“I just told the guys to relax, and they went out and scored three goals in 10 minutes.”
The Eagles were also red hot on the power play, going 5-for-8 with the man advantage.
In addition to Tambellinin’s five-point effort, Shaw had a goal and three assists and Michael Stenerson had four helpers.
Goaltender Michael Santaguida was between the pipes in all three wins last week, improving his league-best save-percentage to .937.
This weekend, Surrey has a home-and-home matchup with the West Kelowna Warriors, with Friday’s game at South Surrey Arena and Saturday’s at Kelowna’s Royal LePage Place.
