In 1991, the New Westminster Royals relocated to nearby Surrey, British Columbia. For the first four seasons in South Surrey, the Eagles did not make it past the quarterfinals in the playoffs. In 1997, their fifth season, the Eagles finished with a record of 47–7–6 for 100 points and won the BCHL championship by defeating the Vernon Vipers in the Subway Cup. The Eagles then beat the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League champions Cranbrook Colts and the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League to earn a berth in the Royal Bank Cup. In the tournament, held in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, the Eagles went 3–1 in the round-robin and beat the Kanata Valley Lasers 4–2 in the semifinal before losing to the host Summerside Western Capitals 4–3 in the championship game.