Surrey Eagles are finished playing hockey for the year after Brooks Bandits won the first two games in a brand-new, best-of-three Rocky Mountain Challenge.
The South Surrey-based squad, who won the British Columbia Hockey League’s Fred Page Cup after battling through four hard-fought playoff series, travelled to Alberta for the games, all scheduled for Centennial Arena in Brooks.
Eagles, after winning the cup Sunday (May 26), travelled back home to celebrate the win – the team’s first Fred Page Cup since 2013 and the Lower Mainland’s first since 2014 – Tuesday (May 28), before travelling to Alberta for the new championship series that started Friday (May 31).
Brooks players defeated Sherwood Park Crusaders in their second playoff series in Game 5 on May 22, to win the Alberta Cup. They defeated Okotoks Oilers in seven games in the first series.
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The new championship series was scheduled after the BCHL added the Bandits and four other Alberta teams to the league mid-season, officially Feb. 1.
Bandits won 5-2 on Friday and 4-1 Saturday (June 1), on their home ice, to win the Rocky Mountain Challenge.
Brooks forward Hunter Wallace scored his second goal of the series to open the scoring for Brooks in the first period of Game 2 Saturday.
He was named the game’s first star, as well as the Rocky Mountain Challenge Most Valuable Player.
Our amazing season comes to an end tonight. 🦅
— 🏆 - Surrey Eagles (@SurreyEagles) June 2, 2024
Lots of travel, one Fred Page Cup and thousands of memories later!
Congrats to @BrooksBandits on winning the Rocky Mountain Challenge!
Thanks you Eagles fans! 💙
📸 Davin Beer #NowWeGo | #Surrey | #BCHL pic.twitter.com/2wn15OKN5n
“Our amazing season comes to an end tonight,” Surrey Eagles tweeted on X. “Lots of travel, one Fred Page Cup and thousands of memories later!”
The X post congratulated the Brooks bandits and thanked the countless Eagles fans for all their support throughout the season.
– with files from Tom Zillich
