A season on the line
The Canmore Eagles will be looking for plenty of added inspiration from their home fans on Sunday, April 7 for Game 6 of their Alberta Junior Hockey League semi-final playoff series against the Whitecourt Wolverines.
Playing before their enthusiastic home fans, the Wolverines won 4-0 on Friday (April 5) in Whitecourt to take a 3-2 lead in the series. The Eagles need a victory to extend their season by forcing a Game 7, which would be played in Whitecourt on Tuesday, April 9.
Whitecourt scored twice in the first period and twice more in the third period en route to Friday’s win. Goals came from Joey Melo and Jalen Bianchet in the first period. Colby Browne and Spencer Rheaume, who escaped any additional punishment for receiving a checking-from-behind major at the conclusion of the Eagles’ victory in Game 5, scored in the opening four minutes of the third period.
Whitecourt outshot Canmore 43-23, including 15-2 in the opening period. Canmore goaltender Matthew Malin made several outstanding saves in keeping his team in this contest through two periods. Nicholas Avakyan recorded the shutout. It is the second time in this series the Eagles have been blanked. Lukas Renaud recorded a 36-save shutout in Game 1.
On the power play, each team had four chances with Whitecourt scoring one man-advantage goal.
Game 6 goes Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre. Tickets are available online at canmoreagles.ca.
The Calgary Canucks punched their ticket to the AJHL championship series with a 3-2 win Friday over the Drumheller Dragons in Calgary. The Canucks won the series 4-1 and are chasing their first league championship since 1999.
-30-