Onward to the season

If the pre-season is any indication of what to expect from the Canmore Eagles, expect as much excitement as any fan can endure for another Alberta Junior Hockey League campaign.

Canmore and the national champion Calgary Canucks played two overtime games as the Eagles made some final player evaluations a week out from the start of the regular season.

On Friday (Sept. 12) in Canmore, the Eagles posted 4-3 shootout victory, rallying back from a 3-2 third-period deficit. Then on Saturday Sept. 13) in Calgary, the Canucks rallied to score a 4-3 overtime win.

Josh Cleary was the first shooter and only goal scorer during the shootout as goaltender Alex Scheiwiller turned aside all three Calgary shooters he faced.

Cleary’s first goal of the game gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal in the opening minute of the second period.

Tavynn Hamilton opened the scoring 5:02 into the game with the Canucks getting back on even terms on a goal by Adam Halat at 15:52.

Calgary would take the lead in the third period on goals from Josh McKague, at 6:42, and one of just two returning players in its lineup Logan Murray, on the power play, at 11:42.

Mason Moran, the son of last year’s Centennial Cup championship winning side head coach Brad Moran, scored the tying goal for Canmore at 17:48. Mason Moran featured in both exhibition games but the 2008-born Calgary native has returned to the Calgary International Hockey Academy for the coming season.

Scheiwiller faced 40 shots over 65 minutes to keep his team in contention for the victory.

Canmore had just 22 shots on Canucks goaltender Sartaj Dhami but held a 2-1 lead heading to the third period.

On the power play, Canmore was 1-for-5 while Calgary went 1-for-6.

Canmore opened up a 3-1 lead. Cohen Daoust in the first period, Landon Scott in the second period and Hudson Landmark with a power-play in the opening minutes of the third period contributed to the lead.

Grant Reid scored a second-period, power goal for Calgary that tied the game at 1-1. In the third period, Wade Wallace on the power play at 14:44 and Dreyton Aleman at 16:42 would tie the score.

Harper Lolacher scored the game winner at 2:31 of the overtime session, getting in alone on Eagles goaltender Hudson Sedo and placing a backhand shot just past the left pad.

Calgary outshot Canmore 39-27 with Noah Nelson in goal for the Canucks.

On the power play, Calgary finished 2-for-11 while Canmore went 1-for-8.

Following Saturday’s contest, Eagles GM and Head Coach Andrew Milne cut down the roster to 24 players, adding 2007-born goaltender Grady Peterson (Mount St. Charles Academy, Woonsocket, Rhode Island), forward Gus Schill (Yale Hockey Academy, Abbotsford, B.C.) and defenceman Berkley Kufflick (Airdrie CFR Bisons) to start the season. One carded players, rookie Kenyan Unger has returned home as he recovers from a knee injury.

The Eagles sat a number of returning players for both exhibitions: Casey Black, Reid Larson (who was acquired from the Whitecourt Wolverines during the off-season), Will Lutic and the injured Cole Wadsorth. Peterson also did not play.

As with all junior teams you can expect the roster to change over the next few weeks as major junior teams cut down the number of players they have in the fold in preparation of their regular seasons.

Canmore begins the 2025-2026 AJHL regular season in Drumheller on Friday (7 p.m. at the Drumheller Memorial Arena). The Dragons knocked the Eagles out the playoffs last spring, winning the best-of-seven series in seven games.

OVERTIME: The Eagles open up this season with three road games. Following Friday’s contest in Drumheller, it is on to Calgary on Saturday (5 p.m. at the Max Bell Centre) and then the Olds Grizzlys on Tuesday, Sept. 23 (7 p.m. at the Olds Sportsplex). … The Eagles home opener is Saturday, Sept. 27 versus the Bonnyville Pontiacs (7 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre), followed by a matinee on Sunday, Sept. 28 versus the Lloydminster Bobcats (2 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre). … The 54-game regular season will again feature two games at the Banff Fenlands Recreation Centre: Wednesday, Nov. 5 against the Camrose Kodiaks and Tuesday, Feb. 3 versus Olds (both games are 7 p.m. start times). … Can’t make it to an Eagles’ game catch all the regular season action with a FloSports account, featuring every AJHL game live or on-demand as well as other junior, university and minor-professional leagues across North America.