EAGLE’S NEXT HOME GAME: TUESDAY, FEB. 26 VERSUS BROOKS
Sunday, Feb. 24 – Special team play was the difference last night as the visiting Drumheller Dragons exploded for three short-handed goals to defeat the Canmore Eagles 5-3 in an Alberta Junior Hockey League game played before 491 fans at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
While Canmore did manage two power-play goals on the night, defensive mistakes while on the man-advantage continues to plaque the Eagles. Canmore has now allowed a league leading 16 short-handed goals against this season. Conversely, they are the only AJHL club without a short-handed goal.
Eagle captain Riley Point and Zack Rassell each had three-point nights for the Eagles, with Point picking up two goals (15 & 16) and Rassell registering his 25th. Eagle goaltender Ty Swabb (10-10-3) took the loss, and is now winless in his last eight starts. Canmore was outshot 44-27 on the night.
As the Eagles prepare for the final week of their 2012-2013 AJHL regular season, Head Coach and General Manager Andrew Milne has to be concerned. The Eagles have won just once in their past 10 games and have been outscored 47-21 in the process.
“That was a very disappointing loss,” said Milne. “We simply have too many passengers out on the ice. Our overall compete level is not where it needs to be and that’s unacceptable. We’ll need a much better effort from everyone if we hope to have any success in the playoffs. We need to find some secondary scoring from someone.”
The immediate road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the Eagles as the Brooks Bandits, the Nation’s # 1 team, pay a visit to Canmore on Tuesday, Feb. 26 game. The Bandits (52-3-3) defeated the Eagles 8-2 on Friday, Feb. 22 in Brooks and will be looking to establish a new AJHL record of 53 wins in a single season.
The Eagles will wrap up their regular season on Friday, March 1 with a home game against the Calgary Canucks.
