Michael Stenerson and the Surrey Eagles ended the season for the Chilliwack Chiefs Monday night, taking a 3-2 overtime decision at Prospera Centre.
The Eagles swept the best-of-five second round series and move on to the Coastal conference final.
The Chiefs are done.
The Eagles were out-played in the opening frame, but opened the scoring at 15:02.
Adam Tambellini pulled the trigger, whipping a shot on net from the right hash-marks. The puck evaded Chilliwack goaltender Mitch Gillam, giving Tambellini his seventh of the playoffs.
The Chiefs answered back 126 seconds later on a pretty goal by Austin Plevy. Luke Esposito got the assist, launching a backhanded knee-high centering pass from the right-wing boards. Plevy crashed the crease and batted the puck out of mid-air, beating Surrey netminder Michael Santaguida for his sixth of the postseason.
Shots on goal through 20 minutes favoured Chilliwack 17-12.
The teams traded goals again in the middle frame.
The Chiefs took the lead at 12:48 in controversial fashion. Mathieu Tibbett fired a long shot on net from the right-wing boards. Santaguida made the stop but let the puck hit the ice. Spencer Graboski made a beeline for the cage and pushed it across the line.
After a referee conference at the scorekeeper box, it was determined that Graboski directed the puck into the net before the net came off its moorings.
But the Eagles knotted things up at 17:43.
Stenerson nearly scored moments before, clanking a long-distance shot off the base of the right goal post.
The Surrey native won the ensuing faceoff back to Brett Mulcahy, who lifted a top shelf shot over Gillam to send the teams to period three tied 2-2.
Shots on goal through 40 minutes favoured Chilliwack 34-26.
Shots on goal through 60 minutes favoured Chilliwack 47-34, but despite near misses at both ends, the teams ended up in overtime.
The Chiefs got off to a scrambly start in the extra session, and 2:41 in, Stenerson found himself uncovered in the slot. The 19-year-old took a pass from Brady Shaw and put it upstairs, beating Gillam to end Chilliwack's season.
The Fortis BC Energy Player of the Game was Esposito.
The three stars were Stenerson (first), Plevy (second) and Graboski (third).