You can chalk up two more big wins for the high flying North Island Bantam Eagles.
After posting a stellar 6-1 record so far in league play this season, the Eagles had a rematch on Saturday with their toughest competition to date, the Tier 1 Comox Valley Chiefs.
RELATED: Bantams win two straight against Victoria Admirals
The Eagles had to travel down island for the showdown, and according to Team Manager Bonnie Barrett, the highway was a complete mess and “Frozen solid like nothing you ever saw from Woss all the way to Sayward.”
Head coach Glenn Moore agreed, noting the players were definitely “all wide awake after battling probably the worst road conditions I have seen in 35 years. It was the talk of the room when we got there, but once they put their dryland gear on, it was all business.”
The Eagles would christen the scoreboard late in the first period thanks to captain William Grant finding the back of the net with 29 seconds left, assisted by Zach Spafford.
The Chiefs would tie things up later on in the second with a goal from Matthew Jackson (assisted by Koen Brown), and that was the way things would stay until 13:50 into the third period, when Aren Kufaas blasted a shot home from the point to give them the lead (assist on the play went to Tye Morash).
Grant would then ice the empty netter with 10 seconds left to seal the deal on a big 3-1 win over a very tough Chiefs’ team.
“Whenever we play the Chiefs it seems to always be a hard hitting, close game,” said Moore, “and this rang true of Saturday’s contest.”
On Sunday the Eagles returned home for a game against the Oceanside Generals, and they ended up hammering them 8-0 over three periods of play (game stats were not available as of presstime).
“We had a lot of fun coming into the rink,” said Moore, adding the coaches and the players had an “all denim, cowboy game and the boys knocked it out of the park. Once the game started we played one of the best games I have seen this group play in awhile, and it showed on the scoreboard with an 8-0 win. All parts of our game were on point, especially our passing and breakouts. If we continue to play like that we are going to be a tough team to contend with come playoffs.”
All told, Moore feels the Eagles 8-1 Tier 2 record this season has been quite the impressive feat. “They have done well up to this point, but there’s lots of hockey still to be played in the new year.”
Next up for the Eagles is an important Dec. 14 game against the Tier 1 Victoria Racquet Club Kings in Port Hardy, and then a break for Christmas.
@NIGazetteeditor@northislandgazette.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
