PHOTO: Newcomers Colby Livingstone (left) and Jarell Pinchuk (right) will make their home-ice debuts this weekend.
UPCOMING GAMES
Calgary Canucks at Canmore – Friday, Jan. 15 – 7 PM
Spruce Grove Saints at Canmore – Saturday, Jan. 16 – 7 PM
When the Canmore Eagles take to the ice for a pair of games at the Canmore Recreation this weekend, local fans will get their first glimpse of the team’s newest recruits as forward Colby Livingstone and defenceman Jarell Pinchuk will make their home ice debuts.
With three players (Kurt Hildebrand, Brett Radford and Braden Saretsky) still suspended for Friday night’s home game against the Calgary Canucks due to incidents from last weekend’s games against Camrose, newcomers Livingstone and Pinchuk are bound to see significant ice time this weekend.
Livingstone, a 6 foot, 190 lb left winger, comes to Canmore looking to get his Junior A career back on track. After starting the season and playing 16 games with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL, Livingstone was traded to the OCN Blizzard of the Manitoba Junior A Hockey League in late November but did not report.
“I’m from Creston, BC, and I really didn’t want to play that far away from home,” said Livingstone, who instead opted to play for his home-town Creston Thunder Cats of the KIJHL for the past six weeks where he put up 19 points in just 12 games. “I’m excited to be here and find out what the AJHL is all about. I’ve never been to Canmore before – it’s beautiful and I can’t wait to get settled in.”
Asked what he could bring to the Eagles lineup, Livingstone said “I like to play an offensive game and enjoy battling along the boards.”
For Pinchuk, who was acquired from Coquitlam of the BCHL, the move to Canmore brings him back to his native Alberta and closer to his home-town of Sherwood Park.
“I really liked playing in Coquitlam, but it’s nice to be back in Alberta too,” said the 5’10, 185 lb Pinchuk, who played two seasons for the Drumheller Dragons before being traded to the BCHL last summer. In 37 games with Coquitlam this season, Pinchuk had five goals and 14 assists.
“Hopefully I can bring some offence from the backend,” said Pinchuk. “If I get the opportunity, I like to take the puck up the ice and try to create something.”
For Eagles Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne, the trades addressed a couple of issues.
“Livingstone provides our lineup with a little more experience, he has some great puck skills and can also play a physical game when required,” said Milne. “Pinchuk is a 97 born player, so we hope to have him in our lineup for at least a couple more seasons and he has tremendous upside. He skates well and isn’t afraid to jump up and join the play. “