Saturday, March 2, 2013 – The Canmore Eagles ended their 2012-2013 regular season on a winning note last night as they defeated the visiting Calgary Canucks 5-4 in overtime before 498 fans at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
The victory confirmed a fifth-place finish for the Eagles in the AJHL Southern Division standings and a first-round playoff date with the fourth-place Drumheller Dragons.
The best-of-five opening round playoff series will begin with two games in Drumheller on Wednesday, March 6 and Thursday, March 7 respectively, before the series switches back to Canmore for Game Three on Saturday, March 9, and Game Four, if necessary on Sunday, March 10.
Canmore finishes the regular season with an overall record of 24-30-6 and 54 points, a significant improvement from last year’s 39-point season total. Canmore was 16-10-3 in their 29 home games played at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
Icing a full lineup for the first time in recent memory, the Eagles received goals from Austen Hebert (4), Luke Simpson (26), Nils Moser (6), Jordon Revie (6) and the overtime marker from Steven Phee (20).
Eagle netminder Ty Swabb picked up the victory, stopping 28 of the 32 Canuck shots. Canmore went 0-5 on the powerplay.
NOTEBOOK: In other AJHL action last night, the Calgary Mustangs erupted for three third-period goals to surprise the Olds Grizzlys 4-3 in Olds to move ahead of the Grizzlys in the AJHL standings. Olds, the seventh-seed, will now meet the 2nd-place Okotoks Oilers, while the Mustangs will face the 3rd-place Camrose Kodiaks. . .Eagle forward Zack Rassell wrapped up his final season of junior hockey as the club’s leading scorer with 54 points in 54 games played. Canmore native Luke Simpson was the top Eagle goal scorer with 26 goals. Last night’s game was captain Riley Point’s 218th regular season AJHL game, Alex Barnes 200th, Ciaron Driscoll’s 199th, Zack Rassell’s 177th and Steven Phee’s 171st. . . Congratulation’s to former Eagle player Braiden Leth who won last night’s finals in the Can-Bow Motors Las Vegas Rapid Fire Shoot-out. Leth had to go to overtime to defeat Brian Stevens in the Shoot-out finals and claimed the Grand Prize Trip for two to Las Vegas, courtesy of Can-Bow Motors. . . The Eagles are trying to run a fan bus to Drumheller for next week’s playoff games. Return bus cost is estimated to be $45 depending on the number of fans. Please contact Myra Stevens at 403-678-4016 or at brimy@telus.et to reserve your seat.
PLAYOFF BOUND EAGLES WIN IN OVERTIME
