PHOTO: Canmore netminder Ryan Ferguson was the Eagle’s “Star of the Game” in Drayton Valley on Saturday night stopping 39 of 41 Thunder shots as the Eagles picked up a single point in a 3-2 OT shoot-out loss. (photo courtesy of Julie Wilson)
NEXT GAME: Sunday, Nov. 9 at Camrose Kodiaks
NEXT HOME GAME: Wednesday, Nov. 12 against Calgary Canucks @ Banff Fenlands Arena
The Canmore Eagles have guaranteed themselves at least a .500 record on their current three-game northern road trip as they picked up a single point in Drayton Valley on Saturday night despite suffering a 3-2 overtime shoot-out loss to the Thunder in Alberta Junior Hockey League action.
With their 5-4 victory Friday night in Whitecourt against the Wolverines, Canmore has picked up three out of a possible four points on their road trip thus far. The Eagles (10-11-1), will wrap up their weekend road trip with a tough Sunday afternoon game in Camrose against the rested and red-hot Kodiaks (16-2-2).
Eagle captain Connor Wilson, who had a three-point night in Whitecourt on Friday night, was the hero once again on Saturday as the speedy forward scored an unassisted goal (9th) with just under a minute remaining in regulation time in the third period to tie the game at 2-2 and send it into overtime. After a scoreless five minute sudden-death overtime period solved nothing, Drayton Valley won the game in a shoot-out as Eagle player’s Jordan Revie, Ryley Risling and Wilson all failed to score on their shoot-out attempts.
Canmore goaltender Ryan Ferguson was named the Eagles “Star of the Game”, stopping 39 of the 41 Drayton Valley shots as Canmore was outshot 41-36 on the night.
“We came out strong and played a solid road game,” said Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne, whose club went zero for six on the powerplay. “Our powerplay, which has been a strong weapon for us this year, just wasn’t clicking for us tonight and that cost us the opportunity to get the extra point. Both goaltenders were on their game tonight. Although we didn’t win, we did a lot of good things tonight and we’ll just have to build off that, stay positive and get ready for a real battle in Camrose on Sunday.”
NOTEBOOK: Eagle scratches last night included defenceman Jakob Lavoie (ankle) and Jeremy Gordon (upper body) and forwards Simon Philp (flu) and Matt Forchuk (upper body). . . Canmore native Logan Milliken and Peace River prospect Kyle Craddock filled in on the defence. . . .Ryley Risling also had a goal in last night's game in Drayton Valley, his team leading 12th of the season.