Double dose of Daoust in weekend split

Cohen Daoust has returned to the Canmore Eagles, and he brought along his little brother.

Daoust spent three weeks with the WHL Calgary Hitmen, appearing in six games (earning one assist) before deciding to return to the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

When the 2006-born forward left the Eagles, he was third in league scoring with 29 points (15G-14A) in 19 games. On Friday night versus the Drayton Valley Thunder, he was back to his normal self with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 victory.

Also joining the Eagles this week was defenceman Brody Daoust, who turns 17 on Tuesday (Dec. 16). Brody Daoust, who plays for St. Albert Raiders U18, also found the scoresheet in the game against Thunder, but it was for a first-period minor penalty for hooking.

The Daoust brothers also appeared together Saturday in their hometown of St. Albert, where the Eagles took on the Devon Xtreme, falling 4-2. The game featured another St. Albert hometown boy in goaltender Hudson Sedo.

Bryson Insinger became the fourth Canmore player to reach double digits in goals this campaign and now has 11 for the season as he scored in both games and currently has goals in five consecutive games.

Another weekend split has Canmore (13-12-1-0) at 27 points and still in fourth place in the South Division, although with three games in hand on both the first-place Camrose Kodiaks (15-12-2-0) at 32 points and third-place Drumheller Dragons (12-12-1-4) at 29 points. The Calgary Canucks (15-10-1-0), which did not play this weekend, are second in the division.

Several players were again unavailable for selection this weekend.

Forwards Will Lutic and Hudson Landmark have been on Canada West duty the past two weeks, helping their Junior A World Challenge squad capture a silver medal. The four-team event also featured the United States, which captured gold, Sweden, which took bronze, and Canada East, which went undefeated in the round-robin but lost both its playoff games.

Forward Aidan Tkachuk missed Friday’s game due to suspension while defenceman Berkley Kufflick has missed three games under concussion protocol.

The recent shortage of bodies has left the team relying on affiliate players and GM/Head Coach Andrew Milne has rewarded several minor hockey players with junior A debuts. Friday’s lineup also included Canmore product Isaac Riep (Airdrie CFR Bisons U18). The 17-year-old forward has 30 points (11G-19A) in 22 Alberta Elite Hockey League games this season.

The Eagles play three home games this coming week, reaching the midpoint of the season on Wednesday (Dec. 17) against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons. The pre-Christmas portion of the Eagles’ schedule also includes game on Friday (Dec. 19) versus the Grande Prairie Storm and Saturday (Dec. 20) against the Drumheller Dragons.

Drayton Valley had a chance to move within a single point of Canmore in the South Division standings and took the early lead in this game.

What the visitors may not have counted on was Daoust making a surprise return to the lineup this week. And the Eagles couldn’t have been happier as they not only looked to put the Thunder further in the rearview mirror but make up some ground on the teams in front of them.

Daoust would score the Eagles’ first goal and set up the game winner.

Avery Watson (7) gave the Thunder the lead at 2:34 of the first period.

Daoust (16) would rifle off a long shot through a screen to knot the game at 12:03.

Cole Wadsworth scored his first goal of the season, six games after his return to the lineup, at 11:54 of the second period. The power-play marker was a long shot from the blue line that sailed over the catching glove of the Thunder goaltender. The Penticton, B.C. native has played just 21 games over the past two seasons due to recurring shoulder injuries.

Former Eagle Keston Beagle (1) would tie the game 31 seconds into the third period with a shot from the similar spot as Wadsworth scored.

After taking a check to the head that created another Canmore power play, Daoust set up the Eagles second power-play goal by firing a cross-crease pass from right to left with Insinger (10) roofing a one-timer to the short side.

Canmore finished 2-for-8 on the power play while Drayton Valley went scoreless in three opportunities.

Canmore outshot Drayton Valley 32-27 with Alex Scheiwiller (9-8/3.07/.914) in goal for the Eagles and Archer Cooke (6-4/2.69/.928) tending the net for the Thunder.

The victory moved Canmore into third place in the division, although tied on 27 points with the Drumheller, who would travel to Drayton Valley on Saturday night.

Devon (12-12-1-1) brought back regular season junior A hockey to St. Albert in hosting the Eagles. The St. Albert Saints were part of the AJHL landscape from 1977 through 2004 before relocating to Spruce Grove.

It’s only been two games, but the Eagles are really, really not liking playing against Tyler Swanson (4-4/3.55/.911). Devon’s 18-year-old rookie netminder would turn in a second brilliant performance against Canmore in backstopping his team to victory.

Swanson made 35 saves, including several bordering on the spectacular, in Saturday’s win. This comes after a standout 50-save effort in a 4-3 overtime win at Canmore in November.

Unfortunately for Sedo (4-5/3.32/.894), who stopped 25 shots, he couldn’t deliver a hometown win for his family and friends.

Following a scoreless first period, Devon opened the ledger with a shorthanded goal 52 seconds into the middle frame. Nolan Eastwood (9) made the most of a breakaway chance and deked his way around Sedo, flicking a forehand shot into a gaping goal.

Former Eagle Stefan Serediak (11), who was in the penalty box on the first goal, made it 2-0 at 14:09 completing a two-on-one rush with a wrist shot far side over Sedo’s catching glove.

A power-play goal by Xander Schulte (4), tipping a long shot with eight seconds left completed a three-goal, second-period outburst.

Canmore finally got on the board at 4:09 of the third period. Cohen Daoust, from just off the left-wing post fed the puck to John Szabo (12) at the top of the crease, who stuffed the puck home.

Insinger (11) would make it a one-goal game with a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Tkachuk with 54 seconds remaining.

Lucas Knorr (15) would seal the Devon win with an empty net marker at 19:34.

Canmore fell back into fourth place in the South as Drumheller skated to a 4-1 win over Drayton Valley (10-14-2-0).

The victory means Devon has already surpassed the number of overall wins (11) and tied their total points (26) from its debut 2024-2025 season.

OVERTIME: Grande Prairie (15-10-0-1) has rolled off seven consecutive wins but have stops in Olds (9-17-2-1) on Tuesday (Dec. 16) and Drumheller on Wednesday (Dec. 17) before facing the Eagles. … The AJHL-leading Whitecourt Wolverines (20-7-0-1) are the lone AJHL team to appear in the Dec. 8th CJHL top 20 rankings at 12th. Drumheller (Oct. 6 &13) is the only other AJHL team to make an appearance in the weekly rankings dating back to Sept. 29. Manitoba’s Niverville Nighthawks (23-1-1-0) are the new top-ranked team. … Bonnyville Pontiacs forward Maxwell Pendy was named the Canadian Junior Hockey League first star for November. The 19-year-old from Far Hills, N.J. is headed to Princeton (NCAA Div. 1) next Fall. … 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.