EAGLES FALL SHORT IN OKOTOKS
Riding a 4-game winning streak, the highest of the season, the Eagles traveled to Okotoks for a re-match against their divisional rivals, the Okotoks Oilers. Six days ago on New Year”™s Day, the Eagles knocked off the Oilers 3-2 in overtime at the Canmore Rec Center. This time though, it was the Oilers who came out on top, with a 3-1 win, to snap the Eagles”™ streak. The game had a lot of implications as the 2 teams are in dog fight for the 4th place spot in the AJHL South Division, which is the last position to get home ice advantage for the opening round of the playoffs. The 2 teams entered the game tied with 36 points, but the win gives the Oilers sole possession of 4th place with a record of (18-19-2), 2 points up on the Eagles who see their record drop to 15-19-6.
“I liked the penalty kill tonight, we gave ourselves a chance to win when we killed off the full two minutes of 5 on 3. “ said Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne. “We had opportunities to score and didn”™t finish when we had chances and that hurt us tonight”.
The Eagles penalty kill has been phenomenal lately. During the Eagles”™ 4-game winning streak, the Eagles did not give up a goal when short-handed, going a perfect 16-for-16. And in tonight”™s contest, although they gave up one, they were able to kill off a 2-man disadvantage for a full two minutes when trailing by one early in the 3rd period.
The Oilers scored once in each period with goals from Carter Massier, Bowden Singleton (PP) and Conyr Hellyer. The Eagles got their lone goal in the 2nd period from Mitchell Watson, his 5th of the season, midget AAA affiliate Casey Black assisted on the goal.
Just like in the last contest between the teams, both goalies were excellent with Eagle”™s Andreai Proctor-Ramirez making 32 saves on 35 shots, and Oilers”™ Jack McNaughton stopping all but 1 of the 24 shots he faced.
The Eagles will make the long trip to Fort McMurray to get ready to take on the Oil Barons (30-9) who are in 2nd Place in the AJHL North Division on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm. The Eagles will then return home to start a 4-game home stand on Tuesday night as they host the Sherwood Park Crusaders (17-22-1) at 7 pm.