Sensational Scheiwiller

As the final buzzer sounded on Saturday’s playoff game (April 4), Alex Scheiwiller gingerly folded his net to the ice, then took a seat on it and waited for his teammates.

The 20-year-old netminder, named the best in the Alberta Junior Hockey League this season, was shutting up shop after a stirring 37-save shutout performance as the Canmore Eagles defeated the Drumheller Dragons 4-0 in Game 2 of the South Division final.

Like Friday’s victory (April 3), the Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 first-period lead. Unlike Friday, there would be no coming back for the Dragons.

Hudson Landmark scored twice and now has four goals in these playoffs, while Cohen Daoust had three assists.

Ryder Dembo (4th goal) would open the scoring at 4:09 of the first period as Daoust forced a turnover deep in the Dragons’ zone and fed a backhand pass to the goalscorer as he arrived late in the slot then fired the puck past goaltender Sean Cootes.

Landmark made it 2-0 at 5:49 when another backhand pass from the near the goal line on the right wing by Daoust, off another forced turnover, found his teammate alone in front of goal.

Easton Milne (3) tacked onto the lead by redirecting Conor Watson’s point shot down and past Cootes at 7:43.

Cootes (4-5, 3.07, .914), who played the entirety of Friday’s game, did not stay in goal for the whole of this game, pulled after giving up three goals on six shots. Brandon Williams (0-0, 1.99, .903) saw out the final 52 minutes. Landmark’s second of the game, and the only goal Drumheller’s hometown goaltender allowed in 21 shots, came on the power play at 3:25 of the second period.

It was then up to the Eagles’ goaltender to preserve the lead as Drumheller outshot Canmore 37-27. Scheiwiller (6-1, 2.67, .927) made 16 saves in the first period, stopped 17 more shots in the third period but faced just four second-period shots in posting his second shutout of this post-season.

The game deteriorated into a parade to the penalty box in the back half of the third period. A total of 26 minor penalties and five misconducts were handed out totalling 102 penalty minutes with the majority assessed in the final three minutes.

Canmore would finish 1-for-7 on the power play while Drumheller was 0-for-6.

Canmore has 30 goals through eight playoff games led by Will Lutic, who picked up one assist in the victory, with a league-leading 11 points (5G-6A). Seven Eagles have at least seven scoring points through eight post-season games: Lutic, Bryson Insinger (4G-5A), Daoust (2G-7A), Milne (3G-5A), Aidan Tkachuk (3G-5A), Dembo (4G-3A) and Landmark (4G-3A).

Jace Johnstone leads Drumheller in scoring with nine points (5G-4A) with Bradley Gallo on eight points (2G-6A).

Game 3 is Tuesday (April 7) at the Drumheller Memorial Arena, at 7 p.m.

In the North Division, the No. 1 Whitecourt Wolverines and the No. 2 Grande Prairie Storm are all tied up at one win apiece.

Will Harris (4) scored 51 seconds into overtime to lift the Storm to victory.

Colin Doherty (3) scored a shorthanded goal for Grande Prairie in the first period with Kyle Tucker (4) answering for the Wolverines in the third period, forcing the overtime session, which like Game 1 in the South final lasted less than a minute.

Grande Prairie outshot Whitecourt 33-28, with 20 of the Storm shots coming in the first period. Leland Gill 5-1, 2.04, .922) was in goal for the Grande Prairie. Elliott Pratt (5-2, 1.89, .933) was in goal for the Wolverines.

The North final follows the same schedule as the South final.

Game 1 – Drumheller 4 at Canmore 5 OT

Game 2 – Drumheller 0 at Canmore 4

(Canmore leads series 2-0)

Game 3 – Canmore at Drumheller, Tuesday, April 7 (Drumheller Memorial Arena, 7 p.m.)

Game 4 – Canmore at Drumheller, Wednesday, April 8 (Drumheller Memorial Arena, 7 p.m.)

(if necessary)

Game 5 – Drumheller at Canmore, Friday, April 10 (Canmore Recreation Centre, 7 p.m.)

Game 6 – Canmore at Drumheller, Sunday, April 12 (Drumheller Memorial Arena, 2 pm.)

Game 7 – Drumheller at Canmore, Tuesday, April 14 (Canmore Recreation Centre, 7 p.m.)

OVERTIME: Playoff tickets are on sale on the Canmore Eagles website. canmoreeagles.ca/tickets. … You can also follow the Canmore Eagles at home and on the road throughout the playoffs with your local broadcast team – Russ Ullyot (play-by-play) and Zach Amin (analyst) – at flohockey.tv. … The Eagles are in need of more volunteers to help with game day experiences, email info@canmoreeagles.com for more information on opportunities and perks that come with being part of the Game Day Crew.