The North Island Atom Eagles picked up two big wins on the weekend at the Chilton Regional Arena in Port McNeill.
The Eagles defeated the Victoria Racquet Club Kings on Saturday 7-3 in an exhibition game, before playing them again in a league game on Sunday, which saw the Eagles get out to an early lead at 12:07 thanks to a goal from Dakota Knighton, assisted by Jayce Cheetham and Carter Henschke.
The Kings would tie the game up a few minutes later, but the Eagles would continue to score in the second period, thanks to goals coming from captain Kyle Rushton and Knighton (x2), with assists going to Henschke (2), Knighton, Cheetham (x2), and Rushton.
Going into the third period with the score still close, 4-3 for the Eagles, everyone knew it was going to come right down to the wire in the last 20 minutes.
The Eagles would notch four more goals over the final period of play, courtesy of Rushton, Henschke (x2), and Tyce Manke, giving them a 8-6 lead, which they held on to with everything they had until the final buzzer went and the team stormed the ice to celebrate with goaltender Matt Mercer beside the Eagles’ net. The Eagles are now at the top of VIAHA’s Tier Three division with a stellar 5-2-1 record, with 43 goals for and only 27 goals against. The Eagles also have the lowest penalty minutes in the entire division, having spent only 12 minutes in the box all season.
The Eagles will be back in action Feb. 2 in Port Hardy at the Don Cruickshank Memorial Arena at 2:30 p.m. against their division rival, the undefeated Sooke Thunderbirds.
