Eagles 5 Smoke Eaters 4 (OT)

Devon Toews scored a hat-trick, including the overtime winner as the Surrey Eagles edged the Smokies 5-4 Sunday.

Toews leaped off the Surrey bench, strode into the play and snapped a wrister past Smokies starter Lyndon Stanwood 1:03 into 3-on-3 overtime, putting an end to an exciting, back-and-forth game that thrilled the more than 1,000 fans at the South Surrey Arena.

The Smoke Eaters opened the scoring early in period one, when Connor Collett put a wrist shot upstairs on Surrey starter Glenn Ferguson, but the Eagles' Craig Wyszomirski answered back on a two-man advantage two minutes later.

The Smokies took another lead early in period two, off a bungled clearing attempt that fell to affiliate Chandler Bruyckere. The 17 year-old hammered a slap shot into the top corner for his first BCHL goal.

Toews leveled the scoring to even the game at 2-2 heading into period three, then scored again 52 seconds into the third period on a Trail double minor.

The Smokies would fight back, and tie things at 3-3 when a bouncing puck made its way to Luke Sandler in the low slot, only for him to roof a backhander over Ferguson for his third goal in as many games.

Brent Baltus would score his tenth of the season moments later, banging home a loose puck on a Trail power-play, before Eric Chevrier's point blast tied the game at 4-4 with just under 3 minutes left.

The two teams traded chances in overtime, including a Surrey power-play during the first five-minute frame, but Toews was not to be denied, giving the Eagles back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

It was a real tough result for the Smokies, who despite having a short bench and being fatigued hung right in with an energized Surrey squad. Stanwood made 42 saves in the Trail goal, while Ferguson stopped 34 of 38 shots.

My Three Stars:
1. Devon Toews, Surrey
2. Brent Baltus, Trail
3. Luke Sandler, Trail

Up Next: The Smokies return to home ice Friday against Victoria, game time is 7:30 pm.

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