Eagles tame Kodiaks
The Canmore Eagles made a significant jump in the Alberta Junior Hockey League standings by sweeping a doubleheader with the Camrose Kodiaks at the Canmore Recreation Centre on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 10-11). The Eagles improved to 8-12-1-1 with the wins of 4-2 and 5-2 to jump from 14th to 12th in the table.
There was a very real possibility Canmore could fall out of the playoff picture – although the season just passed the one-third mark – if results did not go their way against Camrose. The Kodiaks are currently tied on points with the Eagles at 18, but have played one more game, have one less win with a record of 7-12-0-4 and have lost all three of its encounters with the Eagles.
Brody Tallman scored three power-play goals to become the first Eagles player to get to 10 on the season – with 8 coming via the power play. The defenceman also had two assists to give him 12 helpers and a team leading 22 points.
Matthew Malin made a return to the goal, playing both games, after missing three weeks and seven games. The 20-year-old goaltender stopped 38 of 42 shots he faced over the 120 minutes. Canmore’s defence held Camrose to just 20 shots on Saturday, a season-low against the Eagles.
The Eagles were well supported at the Canmore Recreation Centre in both games with announced crowds of 730 on Friday and 740 on Sunday, making it four of eight home games this season the team has broken the 700 fans barrier – a feat they only accomplished once all last season.
The Eagles did lose a midweek road encounter, 7-4 to the Blackfalds Bulldogs. Canmore is still looking over its shoulder as sitting on 17 points are the Drayton Valley Thunder (8-12-1-0) and Fort McMurray Oil Barons (7-13-1-2). The Thunder swept the Oil Barons in a two-game set in Fort McMurray: 6-5 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday. The Olds Grizzlys (4-16-2-0) are in the cellar but are capable of providing a few surprises, such as following back-to-back 11-goal shellings producing a 4-3 win on home ice over the Drumheller Dragons on Saturday to get to 10 points on the season.
Eagles 4 at Bulldogs 7
Blackfalds used a four-goal first period to set them on course for the win on home ice.
Canmore would make it 4-2 at the first break: Rhett Dekowny scored his 4th goal of the season when Casey Black fired him a pass at the top of the crease, from where Dekowny spun and shoved the puck between the pads of Bulldogs goaltender Wilson Maxfield, making it 2-1 at 13:41; Josh Hoekstra recorded his second of the season at 18:28 when he wired a shot from the left-wing, face-off dot that sailed far side over the blocker of Maxfield.
Tyler Loughman, who finished the game with two goals and one assist, scored a shorthanded goal for Canmore at 13:23 of the second period. His sixth goal of the season, making it a 4-3 game, came as he won a race for a loose puck and on the subsequent breakaway lifted the puck over Maxfield’s left pad as the Eagles forward cut across the net right to left. Blackfalds answered with a power-play goal followed by a shorthanded marker to make it 6-3 at the second break.
In the third period, Loughman scored a power-play goal, giving the St. Louis, Missouri, native 7 goals on the season making it 6-4 at 1:05. Following up a rush, after he exited the penalty box putting the Eagles on a short power play, the forward moving into the slot pounced on a rebound off a Nathan Look shot and fired it into the goal. The Bulldogs would then add a second shorthanded goal just past the midway point to complete the scoring in this contest.
Blackfalds got two goals from each of Jayden Joy and Brendan Ross, with singles from Aaron Brown, Alexander Dimitriadis and Edward Moskowitz, who also had two assists. Layne Loomer recorded three assists.
Blackfalds outshot Canmore 46-24, with Matthew Kieper starting his third consecutive game since signing with the Eagles.
On the power play, Canmore was 1-for-9 and Blackfalds was 1-for-4, with the Eagles recording one shorthanded goal and the Bulldogs two shorthanded goals.
Kodiaks 2 at Eagles 4
A pair of power-play goals by captain Brody Tallman gave Canmore the edge in the first of two encounters with Camrose at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
Tallman opened the scoring at 9:23 of the first period, wiring a high shot from the blue line while occupying the left point.
Camrose would peg one back in the second period, a power-play marker from Lucas Lemieux.
The Eagles then scored three consecutive goals in the third period to move out to a 4-1 lead: Tallman scored his second goal of the game moving into the high slot before firing a shot that goes through a crowd of players at 9:23, followed by Mortensen’s 3rd goal of the season at 12:24 and Loughman’s 8th of the season at 16:29.
Alexander Bryson on the power play would be a late consolation goal of the Kodiaks.
Canmore outshot Camrose 28-22 with Elliott Pratt in goal for the Kodiaks.
On the power play, Canmore was 3-for-10 and Camrose 2-for-7.
Kodiaks 2 at Eagles 5
Two goals in each of the first two periods pegged Canmore to a 4-0 lead.
In the first period, Ethan Look scored his 2nd of the season when he slapped a Mortensen centring pass through the legs of Kodiaks goaltender Charlie Zolin at 7:33. Tallman then scored his 10th goal of the season, on the power play at 11:03, another long shot from the left point that eludes a goaltender.
In the second period, Hoekstra scored his 3rd of the campaign at 9:02, having only to shovel the puck over the goal line after receiving a pass from the right wing off the stick of Nathan MacPherson-Ridgewell on a 2-on-1 break. Dekowny then followed with his first of two power-play goals at 15:54, tipping the puck between the pads of Zolin off a point shot from Tallman.
In the third period, Dekowny scored his second power-play goal and 6th goal of the season at 9:45. Casey Black’s soft pass from below the goal line as he cycled down the left side in the Camrose zone hit off the skate of Owen Jones and right to Dekowny, who slapped it into the goal.
Camrose would score twice in the 13th minute to ruin Malin’s shutout bid as the teams were reduced to playing 4-on-4 hockey for a time. Myles Gauld and Owen Lansing recording the goals.
Canmore outshot Camrose 32-20.
Canmore finished 3-for-7 on the power play while Camrose was 0-for3.
Canmore has now won all three encounters with Camrose this season, including a 3-2 win in Camrose on Oct. 8. The teams will meet once more this season, in Camrose on Feb. 4
Canmore heads out on another road trip this coming week with four games over a seven-day period (records reflect to include games played Saturday, Nov. 11): On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Eagles are in Brooks to take on the 1st-place Bandits (20-3-0-0), who have won 11 games on home ice this season; On Friday, No. 17, the Eagles are in Spruce Grove to face the 9th-place Saints (12-12-0-0); On Saturday, Nov. 18, the Eagles are in Sherwood Park to take on the surprisingly good 2nd-place Crusaders (18-5-0-0); With the road excursion ending Tuesday, Nov. 21 in Olds versus the Grizzlys.
The Eagles next game at the Canmore Recreation Centre is Friday, Nov. 25 when they host Sherwood Park, 7 p.m. is game time.
The Canmore Eagles made a significant jump in the Alberta Junior Hockey League standings by sweeping a doubleheader with the Camrose Kodiaks at the Canmore Recreation Centre on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 10-11). The Eagles improved to 8-12-1-1 with the wins of 4-2 and 5-2 to jump from 14th to 12th in the table.
There was a very real possibility Canmore could fall out of the playoff picture – although the season just passed the one-third mark – if results did not go their way against Camrose. The Kodiaks are currently tied on points with Eagles at 18, but have played one more game, have one less win with a record of 7-12-0-4 and have lost all three of its encounters with the Eagles.
Brody Tallman scored three power-play goals to become the first Eagles player to get to 10 on the season – with 8 coming via the power play. The defenceman also had two assists to give him 12 helpers and a team leading 22 points.
Matthew Malin made a return to the goal, playing both games, after missing three weeks and seven games. The 20-year-old goaltender stopped 38 of 42 shots he faced over the 120 minutes. Canmore’s defence held Camrose to just 20 shots on Saturday, a season-low against for the Eagles.
The Eagles were well supported at the Canmore Recreation Centre in both games with announced crowds of 730 on Friday and 740 on Sunday, making it four of eight home games this season the team has broken the 700 fans barrier – a feat they only accomplished once all last season.
The Eagles did lose a midweek road encounter, 7-4 to the Blackfalds Bulldogs. Canmore is still looking over its shoulder as sitting on 17 points are the Drayton Valley Thunder (8-12-1-0) and Fort McMurray Oil Barons (7-13-1-2). The Thunder swept the Oil Barons in a two-game set in Fort McMurray: 6-5 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday. The Olds Grizzlys (4-16-2-0) are in the cellar, but are capable of providing a few surprises, such as following back-to-back 11-goal shellings producing a 4-3 win on home ice over the Drumheller Dragons on Saturday to get to 10 points on the season.
Eagles 4 at Bulldogs 7
Blackfalds used a four-goal first period to set them on course for the win on home ice.
Canmore would make it 4-2 at the first break: Rhett Dekowny scored his 4th goal of the season when Casey Black fired him a pass at the top of the crease, from where Dekowny spun and shoved the puck between the pads of Bulldogs goaltender Wilson Maxfield, making it 2-1 at 13:41; Josh Hoekstra recorded his second of the season at 18:28 when he wired a shot from the left-wing, face-off dot that sailed far side over the blocker of Maxfield.
Tyler Loughman, who finished the game with two goals and one assist, scored a shorthanded goal for Canmore at 13:23 of the second period. His sixth goal of the season, making it a 4-3 game, came as he won a race for a loose puck and on the subsequent breakaway lifted the puck over Maxfield’s left pad as the Eagles forward cut across the net right to left. Blackfalds answered with a power-play goal followed by a shorthanded marker to make it 6-3 at the second break.
In the third period, Loughman scored a power-play goal, giving the St. Louis, Missouri, native 7 goals on the season making it 6-4 at 1:05. Following up a rush, after he exited the penalty box putting the Eagles on a short power play, the forward moving into the slot pounced on a rebound off a Nathan Look shot and fired it into the goal. The Bulldogs would then add a second shorthanded goal just past the midway point to complete the scoring in this contest.
Blackfalds got two goals from each of Jayden Joy and Brendan Ross, with singles from Aaron Brown, Alexander Dimitriadis and Edward Moskowitz, who also had two assists. Layne Loomer recorded three assists.
Blackfalds outshot Canmore 46-24, with Matthew Kieper starting his third consecutive game since signing with the Eagles.
On the power play, Canmore was 1-for-9 and Blackfalds was 1-for-4, with the Eagles recording one shorthanded goal and the Bulldogs two shorthanded goals.
Kodiaks 2 at Eagles 4
A pair of power-play goals by captain Brody Tallman gave Canmore the edge in the first of two encounters with Camrose at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
Tallman opened the scoring at 9:23 of the first period, wiring a high shot from the blue line while occupying the left point.
Camrose would peg one back in the second period, a power-play marker from Lucas Lemieux.
The Eagles then scored three consecutive goals in the third period to move out to a 4-1 lead: Tallman scored his second goal of the game moving into the high slot before firing a shot that goes through a crowd of players at 9:23, followed by Mortensen’s 3rd goal of the season at 12:24 and Loughman’s 8th of the season at 16:29.
Alexander Bryson on the power play would be a late consolation goal of the Kodiaks.
Canmore outshot Camrose 28-22 with Elliott Pratt in goal for the Kodiaks.
On the power play, Canmore was 3-for-10 and Camrose 2-for-7.
Kodiaks 2 at Eagles 5
Two goals in each of the first two periods pegged Canmore to a 4-0 lead.
In the first period, Ethan Look scored his 2nd of the season when he slapped a Mortensen centring pass through the legs of Kodiaks goaltender Charlie Zolin at 7:33. Tallman then scored his 10th goal of the season, on the power play at 11:03, another long shot from the left point that eludes a goaltender.
In the second period, Hoekstra scored his 3rd of the campaign at 9:02, having only to shovel the puck over the goal line after receiving a pass from the right wing off the stick of Nathan MacPherson-Ridgewell on a 2-on-1 break. Dekowny then followed with his first of two power-play goals at 15:54, tipping the puck between the pads of Zolin off a point shot from Tallman.
In the third period, Dekowny scored his second power-play goal and 6th goal of the season at 9:45. Casey Black’s soft pass from below the goal line as he cycled down the left side in the Camrose zone hit off the skate of Owen Jones and right to Dekowny, who slapped it into the goal.
Camrose would score twice in the 13th minute to ruin Malin’s shutout bid as the teams were reduced to playing 4-on-4 hockey for a time. Myles Gauld and Owen Lansing recording the goals.
Canmore outshot Camrose 32-20.
Canmore finished 3-for-7 on the power play while Camrose was 0-for3.
Canmore has now won all three encounters with Camrose this season, including a 3-2 win in Camrose on Oct. 8. The teams will meet once more this season, in Camrose on Feb. 4
Canmore heads out on another road trip this coming week with four games over a seven-day period (records reflect to include games played Saturday, Nov. 11): On Wednesday, Nov. 15, the Eagles are in Brooks to take on the 1st-place Bandits (20-3-0-0), who have won 11 games on home ice this season; On Friday, No. 17, the Eagles are in Spruce Grove to face the 9th-place Saints (12-12-0-0); On Saturday, Nov. 18, the Eagles are in Sherwood Park to take on the surprisingly good 2nd-place Crusaders (18-5-0-0); With the road excursion ending Tuesday, Nov. 21 in Olds versus the Grizzlys.
The Eagle’s next game at the Canmore Recreation Centre is Friday, Nov. 25 when they host Sherwood Park, 7 p.m. is game time.