With apologies to Dinah Washington, What a diff’rence a game makes.
The Canmore wwEagles notched their first win of the season, Saturday (Sept. 24) against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons, handing the Northern Division team a 5-3 loss.
The Eagles suffered a 7-5 loss to Okotoks, Tuesday (Sept. 27).
“It’s a real step forward. We did a good job getting pucks deep and getting to the net,” said Eagles forward Riley Reinbolt.
“I always say winning is a process. The process took a long time this year,” Eagles head coach Andrew Milne said. “I feel happy for the guys.”
The sense of relief was palpable at Alex Kaleta arena. Zack Rassell and Mitch Kaufmann delivered P.K. Subban-style low fives to young fans while leaving the ice, while cathartic yelps of pure joy emanated from the dressing room. While the team is still 1-5, the attitude around the club is they are finally heading in the right direction.
Goaltender Brady Rouleau held off Fort McMurray in the first period, as they launched a 17 shot barrage at the Eagles’ net. The visiting team scored first off a Carson Cooper shot, however, Rassell scored a shorthanded goal to give the Eagles life midway through the period to tie it up.
Fort McMurray added two more goals on the powerplay from Killian Hutt and Matt Szpak to take a 3-1 lead, however, the Eagles stuck to an aggressive forecheck.
With five minutes to go in the period, Reinbolt launched a blistering shot on net with Simon Philp charging. Philp picked up the rebound and shoveled it home for his first goal of the season. Canmore native Jeremy Gordon also picked up an assist on the play, the first of his AJHL career.
In the second period, Rouleau’s glove was the star early on. Three times it was tested from close range, and the young goalie answered the call. The Oil Barons soon found themselves in penalty trouble, allowing Connor Hoekstra to tie it up 3-3 after Mitch Kaufmann launched a shot from the point on net. Steven Phee picked up the assist.
In the second half of the game, the Oil Barons pounded the Eagles defence repeatedly through the period, however it was Fort McMurray with the brutal cough-up.
Riley Point gave chase to a Fort McMurray defender, who subsequently panicked and threw the puck into the slot, right onto the stick of Reinbolt. Before the shock set in, he rifled it home into the Oil Barons net for the eventual 4-3 game winner.
The Eagles then suffocated the Oil Barons attack with tenacious play and solid defence.
Hoekstra added an empty net goal with less than a minute to play to seal the win at 5-3.
Milne said everyone showed up against Fort McMurray.
“We were good in every area. In our other games, our structure got frustrated. We could have easily packed it in a few times during this game, but we played hard. I’m really pleased with our leadership,” Milne said. “Tied going into the third. We could have come out flat, but our guys showed good grit and character.”
He singled out Rassell and Kaufmann as leaders on the ice.
“Our older guys were key pieces to the puzzle,” Milne said.
“Everyone came to the game prepared. We wanted to give the fans something to come to the games to and prove we’re better than we’ve been playing,” Reinbolt said. “We knew it would be a tough team to play against and they would be physical.”
Captain Davis Claffey played a strong third period and said the team now has something to build upon.
“It’s nice to get the first win as captain of the team. It’s a huge relief. It’s a mentality now to keep winning.”
The younger players are buying into the system this year, Claffey said, which helps the team come together.
One of those younger players is Philp, who was thrilled to score his first goal of the season in his hometown.
“It feels unbelievable to win in front of family and friends. A lot of people came in and it’s good to get a win,” Philp said.
His goal is to make a difference on the ice.
“I want to be able to fit in. I want to go on ice and be an impact player.”
The Eagles next home game is on Friday, Oct. 7 at Alex Kaleta arena.
Late breaking game news
After having trouble finding the back of the net early in the AJHL season, the Canmore Eagles have struck for 10 goals in the last two games.
Along with Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Oil Barons, the Eagles struck for another five goals against the Okotoks Oilers, Tuesday (Sept. 27).
Five goals wasn’t enough, though, as the Barons notched seven goals, including five in a first period barrage, for a 7-5 win. The Eagles outshot the Oil Barons, 42-30.
Eagles Davis Claffey and Connor Hoekstra (powerplay) both scored in the 5-2 first period.
Riley Point (powerplay) and Baron Robert Hamilton traded goals in the second period to make it 6-3.
In the third period, Riley Reinbolt and Simon Philp scored at 11:54 and 12:52 to close to 6-5, but Oil Baron Nolan Huysmans potted a powerplay marker at 13:22 to close out scoring and the 7-5 victory.
Cam Barnes started in goal for the Eagles, but was pulled after the first period in favour of Brady Rouleau.
Hoekstra was named game star.
