Eagles close in on South title

Yes, the playoffs beckon for the Canmore Eagles, however, there is still the matter of the final standings.

Canmore (28-18-2-1) grabbed five of a possible six points a three-game, three days road trip to move to 59 points and are seven points clear of the Camrose Kodiaks (25-20-2-0) and Drumheller Dragons (23-19-2-4), who share second place at 52 points.

With the weekend results, the Eagles — with six regular-season games remaining — appear poised to finish first in the South Division of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for the first time in 23 seasons. The franchise last topped the division in each of the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.

Canmore started the weekend with a 3-2 win in Camrose on Friday (Feb. 20). The result was followed by a pair of 5-4 overtime results: a loss to the Bonnyville Pontiacs on Saturday (Feb. 21) and win over the Lloydminster Bobcats on Sunday (Feb. 22) afternoon.

John Szabo extended his points streak to 11 games with two assists in each of the three games. Over the 11 games, the Eagles’ captain has seven goals and 13 assists. For the season, the 2005-born Lethbridge native has 46 points (20G-26A) to move within the top 20 in league scoring.

Ryder Dembo extended his points streak to nine games with three goals and two assists over the three games and has six goals and seven assists during his current run. Dembo, who joined the Eagles in late January has 17 points (8G-9A) in 14 games.

Camrose has played two fewer games then Canmore with its only weekend result being the loss to the Eagles. Drumheller has one game in hand on Canmore with its lone weekend result being a 5-4 victory over Lloydminster on Friday. The Dragons and Kodiaks had their Saturday clash postponed due to ice plant issues at Camrose’s Encana Arena.

The Calgary Canucks (21-22-2-2) are fourth in the South with 45 points. The two-time defending league champions and defending national junior A champions have won just four of 16 games in 2026.

Canmore needs just seven more points either won by the Eagles and/or lost by the chasing pack to clinch the division title. Canmore’s remaining schedule features two games each against South opponents Drayton Valley Thunder (14-27-3-2, 6th place), Olds Grizzlys (16-28-2-2, 5th place) and Drumheller, with the regular season concluding on Friday, March 10. Four of those games are on home ice.

Next up for Canmore is a double header with Drayton Valley at the Canmore Recreation Centre on Friday, Feb. 27, and Saturday, Feb. 28. Game times are 7 p.m.

A pair of goals by Dembo (6-7) propelled Canmore to a 3-1 first-period lead that would hold up on this night.

Dembo opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 2:30, wiring a shot into the Camrose goal from the high slot.

Camrose also made its first power-play opportunity count with Shane Purves (18) scoring at 7:42.

Canmore then followed up with goals from Cohen Daoust (26) and Dembo chasing Camrose’s starting goaltender Connor Knorr (12-9/3.37/.901) to the bench after 20 minutes of action, having made just seven saves on 10 shots.

Following a scoreless middle frame in which Camrose outshot Canmore 16-8, Bowen Grycan (20) would get the Kodiaks back within a goal at 8:40 of the third period.

Camrose outshot Canmore 41-25, with the Kodiaks outgunning the Eagles 30-15 over the final two periods with another handful of shots going off the frame of the goal. Making several timely saves to protect the Eagles’ lead was Alex Scheiwiller (18-13/3.03/.917). For Camrose, Carter Capton (6-8/3.35/.905) replaced Knorr in goal for the final two periods.

On the power play, Camrose went 1-for-4, while Canmore finished 1-for-3.

Friday’s victory was Canmore’s fourth consecutive win over Camrose, including three consecutive 5-2 victories after losing the first two games of this season series.

Canmore is glad Bonnyville won’t be in the playoffs. The Pontiacs, fifth and out of the playoff picture in the North Division, defeated the Eagles for the fourth time in five meetings this season, coming from behind to record an overtime victory.

Bonnyville trailed 4-2 with seven minutes to play but forced this game to the 3-on-3 session with two goals over a 29-second span in the back half of the third period.

Tkachuk (25) got his first of two goals in this game to open the scoring the power-play at 1:50.

Bonnyville defenceman Darren Wilson, who spent the last three winters in the OJHL, would tie the game at 1-1 at 5:20 with his first goal of the season in his 41st game. He would add a second goal during the late-game rally.

In the second period, Tavynn Hamilton (4), with his first goal in 25 games, would give Canmore the lead again with a power-play marker at 12:11, wrapping in the puck at the left post as it came off the backboards off a point shot wide right of goal by Owen Masstoiranni.

Dembo (8) then gave the Eagles a two-goal lead at 18:39, firing a shot top, far side coming down the left wing.

There would be a flurry of goals in the final 10 minutes of the third period.

First off, 16-year-old Gavin Harrison scored his rookie leading 24th goal of the season at 10:45.

Tkachuk (26) then popped off the water bottle off a pass into the high slot from Bryson Insinger at 14:15.

Wilson (2) got his second of the game at 14:40 when his dump-in from centre hit the stick of Connor Watson and the redirected puck slid past Hudson Sedo (9-8/3.10/.908), who had moved to play the anticipated path.

Pontiac Ben Costantino (17) then took four seconds into a power play, pouncing on a rebound in front of goal, to tie the game at 15:09.

Harrison (25) gave the home team the win when he rounded Sedo and lifted the puck into the goal at 2:44 of overtime.

Bonnyville’s Maxwell Pendy picked up two assists to improve to a league-leading 55 helpers on the season. The 2006-born forward is second in league scoring with 77 points.

Bonnyville outshot Canmore 34-26. Ben Laurette (4-6/2.83/.914) was in goal for the Pontiacs.

On the power play, Canmore was 2-for-4 while Bonnyville went 1-for-3.

Canmore threw away another game with another third-period collapse. In this game, Lloydminster would rally from a two-goal, third-period deficit thanks to a pair of goals by Kael Screpnek (13-14) to force overtime.

This night would be different though as Bryson Insinger (16) scored 30 seconds into the 3-on-3 session to give the Eagles the victory.

The teams played a scoreless first period.

Bonnyville’s Ethan Elefante (5) would open the scoring at 3:15 of the second period.

Through the midpart of the period, Aidan Tkachuk (27) and Owen Mastroianni (10) scored for the Eagles as they took the lead with Jaxan Hopko equalizing for the Bobcats.

Miller Komarniski (5) would make it 3-2 for Canmore at 15:18 when he dug out the puck behind the Lloydminster goal and wrapped it in off the right wing and it would stay that way for the remainder of the period.

A power-play goal by Cohen Daoust (27) would give the Eagles a two-goal lead at 2:42 of the final period. And like the previous night in Bonnyville, Canmore would be unable to hold onto the lead.

Screpnek would get the Bobcats’ back on even terms with a power-play snipe at 11:26 and during a goalmouth scramble at 16:12.

 So, for the second time in eight days, these two teams would head to overtime, although this one did not need a shootout. Soon after the puck dropped, Insinger stickhandled his way alone in on goal and shovelled the frozen biscuit under goaltender Ty Matonovich (11-11/2.51/.911)

This time it would be the Eagles rushing from the ice. The previous Sunday, Lloydminster did just that in Canmore when they scored the potential game winner only to have to return to the ice after the officials disallowed the goal. Canmore would eventually win in a shootout.

Lloydminster outshot Canmore 38-26. Scheiwiller (19-13/3.06/,916) was in goal for the Eagles.

On the power play, Canmore finished 2-for-6 and Lloydminster went 1-for3.

OVERTIME: Szabo picked up the Canalta Hotels AJHL player of the week award for Feb. 9-15 with six points (4G-2A) in three games, and extended his active points streak to eight games and 14 points. Canmore went through the weekend without Will Lutic (maintenance), Evan Markel (maintenance), Hudson Landmark (maintenance), Reid Larson (hand) and Gus Schill (leg). Done for the season are Casey Black (shoulder) and Carter Kowalyk (hip), who are undergoing surgeries for their respective injuries. …  Brody Daoust, the younger brother of Cohen Daoust dressed for the games on Friday and Sunday. The Eagles dressed 17 skaters on Saturday. … The Canmore Eagles are always in need of 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 perks that come with being part of the Game Day Crew. … Can’t get to a game in person, you can follow the Canmore Eagles at home or on the road with a Flohockey account. Go to flohockey.tv.