NEXT HOME GAME – Sat., Feb. 9 versus Okotoks Oilers
The Canmore Eagles will try to get back in the win column tonight (Saturday, Feb. 9) when they host the visiting Okotoks Oilers at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
The Eagles dropped their fourth consecutive Alberta Junior Hockey game on Friday night as they suffered a 5-2 loss to the Olds Grizzlys in a game played before 447 fans in Olds.
Special team play was the difference Friday night as Canmore surrendered a short-handed goal, a powerplay goal, and actually scored on their own empty net when goaltender Cameron Barnes vacated the net for the extra attacker on a delayed penalty call only to have an errant Eagle pass go the length of the ice and into the empty net. It was that kind of a night for the injury depleted Eagles.
With the loss, Canmore’s record drops to 21-25-4 on the season.
Riley Point, with his 11, and Jeremy Gordon, with his first ever AJHL goal, had the Eagle goals.
Canmore, who dropped all three games played in Olds this season, were outshot 34-22 on the night and went 0-4 on the powerplay.
“I thought we battled hard tonight, much better than our two previous games in Olds” said Eagle’s Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne. “We played a great road first period and had a one goal lead and then we ran into a slew of bad luck. It’s never an excuse, and I hate to say it, but tonight we just couldn’t catch a break.”
Saturday night’s home game against the Okotoks Oilers (29-17-4) won’t be an easy outing either as the Oilers have defeated the Eagles 15 straight games stretching over the past three seasons, including two heart-breakers in overtime this season.
The Oilers are battling the Camrose Kodiaks for second-place in the AJHL Southern Division standings and come into Canmore riding a three game win streak.
Game time at the Canmore Recreation Centre is 7 pm.
NOTEBOOK: The Eagles were missing defencemen Johnny Stevens and Alex Barnes and forwards Steven Phee, Nils Moser and Alex Bechtold from their lineup in Olds. Bechtold should be back in the lineup for Saturday’s home game after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal hit. . . . Eagle’s defenceman Trey Phillips and forward Simon Philp were also banged up in the Old’s game and their status for tonight’s game is uncertain. . . Eagle Head Coach Andrew Milne and Assistant Head Coach Jeremy Reich will participate in Saturday’s Dog-sled races in downtown Canmore as part of the Canmore Winter Carnival festivities. Race time is 2:30 . . .Canmore will play six of their last nine games at home. . . The Eagles have now allowed a league leading 14 short-handed goals against this season.