NEXT HOME GAME
Saturday, January 10 versus the Calgary Canucks – 7 PM
Close, but unfortunately, no cigar!
Although the Canmore Eagles came up with their best effort of the New Year, it just wasn’t enough as they suffered a tough 3-2 loss to visiting Drumheller Dragons in Alberta Junior Hockey League action played before 388 spectators on Tuesday night at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
The Eagles, are now winless in their first three games to start the 2015 portion of their schedule and saw their overall record drop to 18-21-1.
Eagle captain Connor Wilson (15th) and Logan Ferguson (6th) had the Canmore goals.
“We just didn’t get rewarded for our efforts tonight – we had lots of chances to score but the puck just didn’t go in for us,” said Eagle’s Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne, whose club outshot the Dragons by a 32-24 margin. “Our defensive coverage was much better, we limited their chances to a minimum, but unfortunately they scored when they got their opportunities. When things are not going well offensively, the net looks very small and I think that was evident tonight. We need to find a way to play with more confidence offensively.”
With 40 of their 60 regular season games now complete, the Eagles currently sit in sixth-place in the eight-team AJHL Southern Division standings with 37 points, five points behind the fifth-place Olds Grizzlys and six points up on the seventh-place Calgary Canucks. The last-place Calgary Mustangs, who have won four straight games, are starting to make a push and are now just 10 points behind the Eagles. The top seven teams qualify for the playoffs.
NOTEBOOK: The Eagles have just 10 remaining regular season home games this season featuring six Saturday nights, three Friday nights and the Family Day Holiday Monday matinee on Feb. 16. . With last night’s loss, the Eagles are 10-9-0 on home ice this season . . . Veteran Eagle defenceman Jakob Lavoie, who has been out of the lineup with a lower body injury since October 24, is expected back in the Eagle lineup this weekend. . . .The final Canadian Junior Hockey League trade deadline is this Saturday, January 10.