The Surrey Eagles are moving on to the next round as Matthew Campese scored 34 seconds into overtime to give his team a 5-4 win over the Langley Rivermen in a wild, back-and-forth game six in Surrey. Although Campese got the winner, Eagles forward Desi Burgart was the standout on offence as he scored three goals in regulation and Ryan Brushett chipped in with three assists in the win.
Surrey got out to an early first-period lead when Chase Danol and Burgart each scored five minutes into the game, but Langley responded later in the period with goals from John Wojciechowski and Angus Crookshank to tie the game. Burgart responded with his second of the period to give his team a 3-2 lead after one. Nicholas Ponak tied it for the Rivermen early in the second period, but Burgart answered with his hat-trick goal ten minutes later to put Surrey back ahead. A minute later Tanner Versluis tied the game once again for Langley and a scoreless third period meant the game was going to overtime and set the stage for Campese’s heroics. Burgart’s big night gives him the BCHL playoff lead in goals and ties him for the second-most points.
With the win, Surrey wins the best-of-seven series 4-2 and will either start the second round on the road in Prince George or at home against Chilliwack depending on the winner of the other Mailand Division series. Game six between the Spruce Kings and Chiefs goes tomorrow night in Chilliwack with Prince George up 3-2.
After going down 3-0 in their first-round series, the Victoria Grizzlies clawed back to force a sixth game after a 5-1 home win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Victoria got off to a hot start, getting first-period goals from Jamie Rome, Ethan Nother and Alex Newhook to give them a 3-0 lead after one. Christian Simeone got Alberni Valley on the board in the second frame, but Newhook replied with his second of the game for the Grizzlies to restore the three goal lead. Lach Hadley scored a late third-period goal to give Victoria the 5-1 win. Newhook finished with two goals and one assist and was named the first star of the game. Grizzlies goalie Kurtis Chapman got his third-straight start in the series and stopped 33 of 34 shots to get the win. Victoria will look to extend the series in game six which goes tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Alberni Valley.
