CANMORE – The battle of the two teams with the furthest distances separating each other is on - begrudgingly.
The No. 7 seeded Canmore Eagles have home ice advantage against the No. 10 Fort McMurray Oil Barons in a best-of-five play-in series starting Thursday (March 7). Puck drop is 7 p.m. at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
The winner of the series advances to the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) playoffs March 15.
Game 2 is Friday (March 8) in Canmore at 7 p.m. For Game 3, the series shifts to Fort McMurray Sunday (March 10) at 7:30 p.m.
If necessary, Game 4 is in Fort Mac Monday (March 11) at 7:30 p.m. and Game 5 is back in Canmore Wednesday (March 13) at 7 p.m.
“I think it’s exciting times for both clubs to have an opportunity to compete here in the first stage in getting the Centennial Cup,” said Eagles head coach and general manager, Andrew Milne.
BOW VALLEY, The dance starts March 7th with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons 😤
— Canmore Eagles (@canmoreeagles) March 3, 2024
The play-in series will be a best of 5 with the first TWO games going down right here in the Valley at the Canmore Recreation Centre!
First 150 fans will get thunder sticks on admission!#timetofly✈️ pic.twitter.com/R6NTx0wRxG
Milne said the team is feeling confident with how they’ve played down the stretch. Since Feb. 15, when the Eagles took on Fort Mac, they’ve had a 4-1-0-1 record.
“If we play our game, play simple, we can have success against any opponent,” said Milne.
The Oil Barons hold the season series edge over the Eagles with three wins, including one in overtime, and two losses. Two of Fort Mac’s victories came inside the Canmore Recreation Centre.
Eagles forward Owen Jones said the teams have matched up pretty evenly, but he thinks the Eagles hold one distinct advantage.
"Our top three lines are better than their three lines and I don’t think they have as much depth as we do," said Jones. "But both D-cores are very strong and I think you’ll see that in the series. Both defence cores will carry both teams throughout the play-in."
Three Eagles goalies have faced the Oil Barons this season, with No. 1 netminder Matthew Malin only recently seeing shots from the northern club. Both games Malin played in were in February, where he posted a 1-0-0-1 record, an .893 save percentage and 4.0 goals against average (GAA).
On the season, Malin has a 18-16-2-2 record, with a .907 save percentage and 2.89 GAA.
The Oil Barons have favoured netminder Gage Stewart recently, who holds a 4-8-0-0 record with a .874 save percentage and 4.90 GAA.
One thing that will factor in for both teams is the long 830 kilometres of pavement separating Canmore and Fort Mac.
Jones said they will be looking to finish things off up north.
"You want to come out as the winner because when you’re the loser and you go to Fort Mac it’s not a fun ride home, especially those eight hours," said Jones.
The AJHL switched to a one division system this season, which is why teams from Canmore and Fort McMurray can play each other so soon in a post-season. Some clubs like the Eagles were against it because of the long-travel scenarios and financial strain.
“It’s unfortunate the two furthest teams are travelling together, it’s unfortunate but it is what it is and there’s not much we can do about it,” said Milne.
“Obviously with the travel, we have such added expenses that are not typical to this time of year in the playoffs, so any support we can get from the community to come and watch a game and be entertained is going to help us and the final challenges we’re going to face with this travel.”
Eagles’ Best of Five Play-In Schedule
Oil Barons in Canmore Thursday (March 7) at 7 p.m.
Oil Barons in Canmore Friday (March 8) at 7 p.m.
Eagles in Fort McMurray Sunday (March 10) at 7:30 p.m.
*Eagles in Fort McMurray Monday (March 11) at 7:30 p.m.
*Oil Barons in Canmore Wednesday (March 13) at 7 p.m.
* If necessary
The two other play-in series are the Grande Prairie Storm (6) vs. Olds Grizzlys (11) and the Camrose Kodiaks (8) vs. Drayton Valley Thunder (9).
Five playoff-bound teams are waiting for the play-in smoke to settle: Whitecourt Wolverines (1), Lloydminster Bobcats (2), Calgary Canucks (3), Bonnyville Pontiacs (4), and Drumheller Dragons (5).
Why an AJHL Play-In is happening
Following a mass exodus of five teams from the AJHL earlier this year to the BCHL, the league restructured its schedules for the regular season and playoffs, including a best of five play-in tournament between the bottom six teams (No. 6-11).
The top five teams have already made the playoffs, which officially start March 15, and will be played between the top eight teams.
Jones said the league is excited because every team has a chance.
“When those five teams left, we all didn’t really know what was going to happen, but I think when they announced the play-in it was exciting for everyone in the league because anyone can take it home this year," said Jones. "I think we’re all really close [in skill set] and it's going to be really fun to watch.”
