Eagles’ defence claws out wins

The Canmore Eagles turned what was looking like a pretty grim month into something respectable with back-to-back wins to finish off a three-game weekend road trip.

To make things even more foreboding, heading into the three games in three days set, the Eagles would be without leading scorer Cohen Daoust (15G-14A) as he joined the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen for a three-game stint and injured captain Casey Black (3G-13A).

So it was, the team entered the weekend with a couple of big holes and suffering through a three-game losing skid after beginning the month with two wins.

What to do? The answer was to stiffen up on defence to compliment what is still a respectable offence.

Canmore would surrender just four goals over the three games, although the road trip started off with a fourth consecutive defeat, 2-1 to the Grande Prairie Storm on Friday (Nov. 21).

The Eagles would then allow just one goal in each of the next two games in recording back-to-back wins: 4-2 over the league-leading Whitecourt Wolverines on Saturday (Nov. 22) and 5-1 over the Drayton Valley Thunder on Sunday afternoon.

Strong goaltending reinforced that defence and helped ease the pressure on the offence, which responded with spirited efforts in the final two games.

Alex Scheiwiller (7-7/2.94/.917) was in goal for the first two games stopping 67 of 70 shots with a final minute goal in Grande Prairie spoiling his team’s efforts of registering points in all three games.

Hudson Sedo (4-4/3.38/.897) got the start in Drayton Valley and stopped 24 of 25 shots to end a personal four-game slide: three regulation losses and one overtime defeat.

On offence, Will Lutic scored three goals and picked up one assist over the final two games to move inside the top 10 in league scoring with 27 points: six goals and a league leading 21 assists.

John Szabo became the third Eagle to register 11 goals for the season, scoring in each of the three games.

Also, of note this past week, Cole Wadsworth made his season debut. Last season, the Penticton, B.C. native separated his shoulder twice, limiting the 2006-born forward to only 15 regular-season games and five playoff appearances.

Meanwhile, Josh Cleary has left the Eagles, with the native of Windsor, Ont. granted his release. The 2006-born forward was in his second season in the AJHL and had eight points (2G-6A) in 19 games this season.

Canmore (11-10-1-0) finishes November with four wins and four losses to jump back into second place in the South Division. The Eagles, at 23 points, are two points back of division-leading Camrose Kodiaks (12-9-1-0).

Next up, Canmore hosts Camrose on Friday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre.

Max Fogle (3 goals on the season) scored on a rebound with 42 seconds left to give the hometown team the win.

Up to that point, Scheiwiller had stopped 31 of 32 shots and kept his team in a game they were outshot 33-24.

Colin Doherty (10) gave Grande Prairie the lead at 17:43 of the first period, with Szabo answering 63 seconds later with a one-timer bullet from the from just above the left wing, face-off dot.

The two goaltenders dueled the remainder of this game, with Hudson Perry (2-4/3.80/.876) in goal for Grande Prairie. The Storm outshot the Eagles 14-5 in the final period.

On the power play, Canmore was 0-for-2 and Grande Prairie went 0-for-1.

Grande Prairie (10-10-0-1) was playing its only home game in November following a stretch in which it won just two of six consecutive road contests, resulting in the team falling to fifth place in the North Division.

The two teams will meet once more this season, in Canmore on Friday, Dec. 19. The Storm have won both games played in Grande Prairie, including 5-1 on Oct. 3, while the Eagles won its home game 4-3 in Banff on Nov. 5.

Two goals by Lutic and another outstanding goaltending display by Scheiwiller gave Canmore its second win in Whitecourt this season and snapped a four-game losing streak.

The Wolverines are the AJHL leaders with 16 wins in 21 games. They also boast the league’s top offence (94 goals for) and defence (52 goals against) but for the second time on home ice could not match the Eagles’ resolve at either end of the ice.

Lutic scored a power-play goal at 8:18 of the first period after the team had killed an early penalty and weathered a dominant opening seven minutes by the home side.

A turnover right in front of goal led to Lutic scoring his second goal of the game, slapping home the puck off the steal by Hudson Landmark at 2:31 of the second period.

Szabo would make it 3-0 with a power-play goal at 12:15 of the middle frame, ending the night for Whitecourt goaltender Luke McKechnie (7-2/2.79/.900), who came into the game with just one loss in eight decisions this season. The rookie netminder gave up three goals on 16 Canmore shots.

Jalen Bianchet would score his league leading 25th goal of the season – in 21 games – on a penalty shot at 10:28 of the third period. The Pickering, Ont. native rarely left the ice the remainder of the game as the Wolverines besieged the Eagles’ goal, outshooting Canmore 17-5 in the period.

Eagles defenceman Reid Larson (4), a former Wolverine, lofted a 200-foot clearance into the empty net with five seconds remaining.

Scheiwiller stopped 36 Whitecourt shots and was particularly marvelous in the opening minutes of the contest while the game was scoreless. Canmore fired 24 shots on Whitecourt, with Elliott Pratt (9-3/2.09/.920) taking over the goaltending duties for the final 27 minutes.

On the power play, Canmore was 2-for-3 while Whitecourt went 0-for-3.

The Eagles have won both games contested in Whitecourt with the Wolverines winning the one game played in Canmore. The two teams will meet once more this season, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, 7 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre.

A pair of goals by Szabo and another fine goaltending showing, this time by Sedo, gave Canmore another victory to finish the month with four wins in eight games.

Bryson Insinger (7) opened the scoring with a solo effort at 9:11 of the opening period, skating onto the puck in the right-wing corner circling behind the Drayton Valley goal and firing a low shot far side past a screened goaltender, Kaden Clegg (4-8/3.95/.900).

Lutic would then go right to left on a wraparound, tucking the puck under Clegg for a two-goal lead at 18:39. Wadsworth picked up his first point of the season with a pass from the blue line to the goalscorer behind the net.

Will Jamieson (6) would put the home side on the scoreboard at 2:21 of the second period.

Keegan de Sa (2) restored the Eagles’ two-goal lead at 4:30, when he tapped in a rebound at the left-wing post.

Szabo with a one-timer from out near the blue line during a 4-on-3 power play at 17:28 sent the Eagles up 4-1 at the second break.

Szabo would add his second of the game at 18:23 of the third period, streaking down the left wing and firing a near board shot far side on Clegg.

Canmore outshot Drayton Valley 30-25.

On the power play, the Eagles were 1-for-4 and the Thunder 0-for-2.

Canmore has won each of the two meetings this campaign between the two South Division rivals with four more games to come this season.

OVERTIME: Canmore is the lone South Division team with a positive goals differential at plus-9 (78-69) while North Division-leading Whitecourt leads the way at plus-42 (94-52). … The Drumheller Dragons (8-9-1-4) played three consecutive games against the Olds Grizzlys (7-13-1-1) this past week and lost all three contests: the last two losses coming in shootouts with the other game decided in overtime. … Canmore native Tyler Deakos (2007 born) has signed with the United States Hockey League’s Waterloo (Iowa) Black Hawks. The rookie forward left the Dragons (10GP-8G-7A) in mid-October to pursue a major junior opportunity. … Can’t get to a game in person, all AJHL games can be viewed with a flohockey.tv subscription. … The Canmore Eagles are always in need of more volunteers to help with game day experiences, whether you are new to the game or an avid hockey supporter, email info@canmoreeagles.com for more information on opportunities and game-day perks that come with being part of the Game Day Crew.