It was a winning weekend for the two Surrey Eagles players at the BCHL’s all-star event in Penticton on Saturday (Jan. 21).
Goaltender Eli Pulver won the breakaway-save competition, stopping five of six shooters, and then backstopped Team Turris to the 3-on-3 tourney championship, with Eagles teammate Jake Bongo also on the winning Mainland division team.
The action took place as snow fell on an outdoor rink in Penticton, where the league celebrated its 60th-anniversary All-Star Weekend.
• RELATED: Surrey Eagles all-stars Bongo, Pulver help hockey team soar at opposite ends of the rink.
We’d like to send out a huge congratulations to Eli Pulver, Jake Bongo and the rest of Team Turris on winning the BCHL 3-on-3 outdoor All-Star Tournament! pic.twitter.com/gdpRMhqC32
— Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles) January 22, 2023
The Pulverizer rinkside with Joey Pitt after winning the Breakaway Challenge! pic.twitter.com/suzVsxYLN8
— Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles) January 21, 2023
Warmups are underway for the first game of this All-Star Series! pic.twitter.com/cZvh6THiwN
— Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles) January 21, 2023
The 3-on-3 tourney involved four teams of six skaters plus a netminder in round-robin games. The Mainland team topped Team Courtnall’s Island division players in the championship game, with Coquitlam Express forward Mirko Buttazzoni earning Most Valuable Player honours.
Earlier that day, an Alumni & Friends Game featured former NHLers Scott Niedermayer, Brendan Morrison, Kyle Turris, Geoff Courtnall, Garry Valk and others.
In the skills event, other winners were Mateo Dixon of Coquitlam Express in the Fastest Skater competition, Nathan Mackie of Salmon Arm Silverbacks in Puck Control Relay, Josh Nadeau of Penticton Vees in Accuracy Shooting and Bradley Nadeau of the Vees for Hardest Shot.
The weekend started Friday with a Top Prospects Game, with Team East topping Team West by a 6-2 final. Trail Smoke Eaters defenceman Brady Smith took home Most Valuable Player honours after a two-goal performance.
After a two-week break, Surrey Eagles are back in action Saturday (Jan. 28) on the road in Chilliwack, followed by a pair of home games at South Surrey Arena — Sunday afternoon against Cowichan Valley and then Friday, Feb. 3 against the league-leading Penticton Vees.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Tom on Twitter