The Canmore Eagles travelled to Okotoks Saturday night to play the 2nd place team in the South Division, the Okotoks Oilers for the 2nd of a 3-game set between the 2 teams this week. The Eagles put up a good battle, but unfortunately, they surrendered three late 3rd period goals to fall by a score of 5-1. The Eagles remain in 6th place in the AJHL South Division with a record of 27-23-5 for 59 points. The Eagles also remain 1 point back of the 5th Place Calgary Mustangs and 3 points back of the 4th Place Camrose Kodiaks.
Despite the final score being 5-1, the Eagles were in the game until the 16th-minute mark of the 3rd period. The Eagles trailed 1-0 after the 1st period, then trailed 2-0 after the 2nd period. In the 3rd period, Alex Young cut the Eagles’ deficit to 1-goal as he buried his 34th goal and 70th point of the season. Connor Lyons and Mark Drohan got the assists on the goal. The Eagles then tried the tie the game, but the Oilers were able to put the game to bed with 3 unanswered goals in the last 4 minutes of the game to skate with a 5-1 win.
“I thought we battled well defensively against a high-octane offence,” said Eagles’ Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne. “It was a good step forward (compared to the last meeting between the 2 teams on Tuesday night) and we really battled hard for 55 minutes.”
Thomas Davis was between the pipes for the Eagles. His first start in 2 weeks. The 20-year-old from St.Albert had a great game and he kept the Eagles in it for most of the game as he stopped 41 of the 46 shots he faced. The final shots on goal were 46-19 in favour of Okotoks.
“Thomas was really good tonight,” said Coach Milne.
The same 2 teams will collide again on Monday afternoon back at the Canmore Recreation Centre for a special Family Day game. Puck drop is 2:30 pm. It will be the 6th and final meeting between the 2 teams this season.
When asking Coach Milne about what the team needs to do better in order to be successful on Monday, he answered, “We need to capitalize on our chances. We played pretty well defensively, but we did not score a lot of goals.”
In their 2 games this weekend vs Sherwood Park Friday night and Okotoks
Saturday, the Eagles who have their 5th best offence in the AJHL have only found been able to find the back of the net twice.
Bring your skates and helmets, after the game on Monday, fans can enjoy a skate with the Eagles players!
EAGLES’ FUN FACTS:
– Eagles’ Forward Max Giangualano was serving the first of his 2-game suspension he was handed after taking a major penalty for Cross-checking on Friday night vs Sherwood Park. Also forward Taden Rattie did not dress, while Defenceman Brent Schuldhaus was back in the lineup after missing 1 game due to an illness.
– With Alex Young’s 70 points on the season, it is the 3rd season in their last 4 that the Eagles have at least 1 player reaching the 70 point mark. In 2015-16, Matt Forchuk and Logan Ferguson each had 72 points and in 2016-17, the Eagles had Forchuk (97), Ferguson (94) and Braden Saretsky (77).
– The Eagles are down to their final 5 games of the regular season. The Eagles will play their next 2 games at home, then play their final 3 on the road.