SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2012 – For whatever reason, the Okotoks Oilers certainly have the Canmore Eagle’s number.
For the 13th straight time, the Oilers came away victorious as they downed the Eagles 5-2 in an Alberta Junior Hockey League game played last night before 744 fans in Okotoks.
The Oilers have now beaten the Eagles twice this season, took six straight wins last year, and won their last five games against the Eagles in the 2010-2011.
Canmore looked determined to finally break their losing streak against the Oilers as they enjoyed a 2-0 lead half-way through the second period, before the Oilers came roaring back with five unanswered goals.
The two teams will meet again in Okotoks on Tuesday, November 6.
“We just weren’t mentally sharp tonight,” said Eagle Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne, whose team was outshot 32-28. “We only made a few mistakes but unfortunately they cost us goals. We got off to an early lead but lost Nils Moser early in the second period and we didn’t have the horses after that to control their attack. They pounced on their limited chances and we didn’t. That was the difference in the hockey game.”
As has been the case for the past three games, the Eagles were playing without the services of two of their top 20-year-olds as both their leading scorer Zack Rassell and highly touted goaltender Ty Swabb sat out the game with injuries. Newly acquired 20-year-old defenceman Ryan Whitell, who is suffering from a hip flexor, saw limited action.
Eagle goals were scored by Nils Moser, his fifth in the last four games, and captain Riley Point (7th).
With the loss, the Eagles now sport a 9-6-4 record and find themselves in a three-way tie for third-place in the AJHL Southern Division standings with both the Oilers and the Camrose Kodiaks with 22 points.
NOTEBOOK: With their injuries mounting, the Eagles can be grateful that they are in a relatively quiet portion of their AJHL schedule as they will play just two games in the next 13 days. The Eagles next home game is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 against the Calgary Canucks. . . The Brooks Bandits barely kept their 18-game undefeated streak alive last night and had to go into overtime before defeating the visiting Calgary Mustangs 2-1. With the single point earned, the Mustangs moved into second-place in the AJHL Southern Division standings with 23 points. . . The Eagles are holding a major fund-raising event on Friday, November 9th with a “Town Party” at the Radisson Hotel. The evening will feature two live bands (Retrobution and The Elektric Squirrels), silent auctions, draw prizes and a cash bar. Tickets are just $25 and are available at Lockwood Autobody, Can-Bow Motors, Printcraft and at the Heart Mountain store in Exshaw. Get your friends together, come on out and have a fun night, and help support Junior A Hockey in Canmore.
