Eagles look to lock up playoff spot

Next up for the Canmore Eagles at the Centennial Cup is the host Summerside Western Capitals on Sunday, May 10, 4:30 p.m. with plenty at stake.

Canmore has five points entering the contest after victories in regulation time (worth three points) and overtime (worth two points) to begin the Canadian Junior A Hockey League championship tournament.

“I think there is more to give,” said Eagles Associate Coach Bryan Arneson. “We haven’t really got to our game as much as we would like this tournament – so far. With that said, our mindset is that every team here is a championship team and you have to be at your best.”

An Eagles’ victory over the Western Capitals would ensure the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions are one of the three teams out of Pool A to advance to the playoff portion of the competition, although Arneson said the coaching staff is trying to downplay what is at stake.

“It’s not really our focus. We just want to play our game – every game we can, every shift we can,” said Arneson. “It’s been our way just playing one game at a time, not setting goals for things that are in the future.”

Heading into Sunday’s action, the Niverville Nighthawks and Canmore are tied on points after the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champion posted a 7-2 victory over the Thunder Bay North Stars on Saturday (May 9).

Canmore and Niverville will face-off in both team’s final pool game on Tuesday, May 12 (1 p.m. MT).

Summerside is on four points after a 4-2 victory over the Central Canada Hockey League champion Rockland Nationals on Saturday. The Western Capitals lost their opening game 5-4 in overtime to the Nighthawks.

Rockland, which has one point from its 3-2 overtime loss to Canmore, is now facing an uphill battle and will need to post wins over Thunder Bay (Monday) and Niverville (Wednesday) to give themselves a chance of advancing. The Nationals came into the playoff season as the top-ranked team in the CJHL.

The Superior International Junior Hockey League North Stars have lost both their games with the possibility of advancing to the playoff round looking unlikely.

In Pool B, the Toronto Patriots are proving the dominant force posting a 7-2 win over the Flin Flon Bombers on Saturday. The Ontario Junior Hockey League champions have scored 15 goals in two lopsided victories. While the Manitoba Junior Hockey League champions have just two goals through two games after being shutout in their tournament opener.

The Quebec Junior Hockey League’s Collège Français de Longueuil and the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Greater Sudbury Cubs are each on three points, although the Cubs have played twice and CF de Longueuil has played one game.

The Maritime Junior Hockey League’s Truro Bearcats (0-1) take on CF de Longueuil in the first of two Sunday games.

Flin Flon (0-2) – like Thunder Bay – has an uphill battle to gain a playoff spot.

Round-robin play continues through Wednesday, with the playoff rounds running Friday through Sunday, May 17.

Saturday games:

Adam Vigfusson and Kole Mears each scored two goals as the Nighthawks recorded its first regulation-time victory after opening the Centennial Cup with an overtime win.

Niverville outshot Thunder Bay 41-17 scoring four times in the first period and adding three more goals in the second frame.

Maybe surprisingly, Niverville did not score during a five-minute power play and were 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Thunder Bay was 1-for-3 on the power play.

Another strong performance from the OJHL champions has many talking about the Patriots being the Centennial Cup favourites after just two games – albeit two dominant victories.

Three players contributed two goals each: Luciano Bruno, Owen McGuckin and Hudson Cummins. Cole Cooksey scored once and set up two goals and leads all tournament scorers four goals, four assists and eight points.

Flin Flon, shutout in their first game, went 38:31 in this game before getting their first tournament goal, from Ryder Mucha, which at the time made it 5-1. Toronto would close out the period with two more goals in the final 69 seconds.

Toronto outshot Flin Flon 35-32. Neither team scored on the power play, although there were just three minor penalties: two to the Patriots and one to the Bombers.

The host Western Capitals have rocked the pre-tournament favourite by handing the Nationals their second loss (the first one came in overtime to Canmore) in as many games.

A pair of first-period goals put Summerside in command of the game with Rockland able to close the gap to one-goal on two occasions but unable to find a tying marker.

Owen MacPherson’s goal at 13:21 of the second period stood as the game winner, with the Capitals scoring a shorthanded, empty net goal with just over two minutes remaining in the third period to finish off the game.

The Nationals, on one point, are now in danger of not making the playoff round as they trail Canmore and Niverville, both on five points, and Summerside, on four points.

(All times MT)

Sunday, May 10: Truro vs CF de Longueuil, 1 p.m.; Summerside vs Canmore, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 11: Flin Flon vs Greater Sudbury, 9 a.m.; Rockland vs Thunder Bay, 1 p.m.; Toronto vs Truro, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 12: Greater Sudbury vs CF de Longueuil, 9 a.m.; Niverville vs Canmore, 1 p.m.; Thunder Bay vs Summerside, 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 13: CF de Longueuil vs Toronto, 9 a.m.; Rockland vs Niverville, 1 p.m.; Truro vs Flin Flon, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, May 15: Quarter-final No. 1, 1 p.m.; Quarter-final No. 2, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 16: Semifinal No. 1, 1 p.m.; Semifinal No. 2, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday: May 17: Championship Game, 4 p.m. (available on TSN+)

May 7: Greater Sudbury 3 Toronto 8; Rockland 2 Canmore 3 (OT); Niverville 5 Summerside 4 (OT)

May 8: Flin Flon 0 CF de Longueuil 1; Canmore 3 Thunder Bay 2; Greater Sudbury 4 Truro 1.

May 9: Thunder Bay 2 Niverville 7; Flin Flon 2 Toronto 7; Summerside 4 Rockland 2

OVERTIME: An overnight scoring change following Canmore’s 3-2 win over Thunder Bay on Friday saw Eagles’ captain John Szabo awarded an additional assist giving him a three-point game (1G-2A) and five points (2G-3A) for the tournament. … The Canmore Eagles Go Fund Me page, is approaching its goal of $35,000 to cover expenses and give the players an experience they will forever cherish. The fund currently is at more than $32,300. For more information go to gofundme.com/f/canmore-eagles-at-the-centennial-cup-in-prince-edward-island. … All games are being streamed by pay-per-view on HNLive.ca, with the championship game also available on TSN+. … Patrinos Steak House & Pub is hosting all-ages watch parties throughout the Centennial Cup to bring Canmore Eagles’ fans together to cheer on and celebrate the team.