Opening night setback

It was not a good opening night for the top seeds as the Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs began Friday (March 20).

The first-place finishers in each of the two divisions would lose their first games to fourth-place squads. The South Division’s Canmore Eagles fell 5-1 on home ice to the Calgary Canucks. The No. 1 seed and North Division’s top team Whitecourt Wolverines were beaten 5-3 by the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.

Also in the South, the No. 3 Camrose Kodiaks edged the No. 2 Drumheller Dragons 2-1 while in the other North Division playoff series the No. 2 Grande Prairie Storm needed overtime to defeat the No. 3 Lloydminster Bobcats 3-2.

In Canmore, Cohen Daoust got the Eagles off to the right start when he banked a shot, taken from the right-wing side goal line off Canucks’ goaltender Dimitri Fortin and into the goal at 5:25.

That was pretty much the highlight of a frustrating game for Canmore. The team’s composure was tested by a free-wheeling Calgary team and compounded by some perceived injustices from the game’s officials.

Canmore goaltender Alex Scheiwiller tried his best to keep his team in this contest as Calgary outshot Canmore 48-28 and went 3-for-5 on the power play, albeit the last two of those man-advantage goals came in the final three minutes while the Eagles were killing off a major penalty.

That penalty went to Daoust for a check-from-behind call and may cost the Eagles’ top scorer some time on the sideline in this series as it will come under league review.

Harper LoLacher would tie the game at 1-1 at 17:05 of the first period.

Adam H’Hamed would put the Canucks in front with a power-play goal in the second period.

Calgary then added three goals in the back half of the third period, with two from Riley Bracko sandwiching a single by Nicholas Anisimovicz.

Canmore was 0-for-3 on the power play.

The best-of-seven-series resumes Saturday, March 21, 7 p.m.  at the Canmore Recreation Centre.

 Around the league:

Two goals by Tavish Beagle were enough for Camrose to edge Drumheller.

Three points games – two goals and one assist – from Leo Adams and Cade Petersen led Fort McMurray to its win over Whitecourt, which got two goals from the regular-season scoring champion Jalen Bianchet.

Zachary Wilson scored 13:18 into overtime and Leland Gill made 40 saves for Grande Prairie. Kade Fendelet had a goal and an assist for Lloydminster.

All series resume Saturday.

Game 1 – Calgary 5 at Canmore 2

(Canucks lead series 1-0)

Game 2 – Calgary at Canmore, Saturday, March 21 (Canmore Recreation Centre, 7 p.m.);

Game 3 – Canmore at Calgary, Tuesday, March 24 (Ken Bracko Arena, 7 p.m.)

Game 4 – Canmore at Calgary, Wednesday, March 25 (Ken Bracko Arena, 7 p.m.)

(if necessary)

Game 5 – Calgary at Canmore, Friday, March 27 (Canmore Recreation Centre, 7 p.m.)

Game 6 – Canmore at Calgary, Sunday, March 29 (Ken Bracko Arena, 5 p.m.)

Game 7 – Calgary at Canmore, Tuesday, March 31 (Canmore Recreation Centre, 7 p.m.)