Canmore Eagles, Whitecourt Wolverines split opening two games

WHITECOURT – The Canmore Eagles will head back to home ice with a split of road games in their second round series against the Whitecourt Wolverines.

The Eagles opened with a 3-0 loss in Game 1, but took Game 2 with a 4-3 win thanks to the winning goal with 19 seconds left in the game.

The Eagles, coming off a series win over the Lloydminster Bobcats, were blanked by the Wolverines to open the series.

After a scoreless first period, Whitecourt opened the scoring with about six minutes left in the second as Colby Browne scored. They picked up a two-goal lead with another tally from Kaiden Wiltsie at the 2:55 mark then a third goal from Joey Melo at 11:46 of the final frame on the power play.

Eagles’ goalie Matthew Malin made 26 saves in the loss, while Canmore had 23 shots on Whitecourt goalie Lukas Renaud.

Canmore went 0-for-3 on the power play and the Wolverines were 1-for-5.

In Game 2, Logan Ziegler scored the winning goal with 19 seconds left in the game to send the series back to Canmore tied at one.

Whitecourt opened the scoring in the first four minutes of the first when Spencer Rheaume netted an unassisted goal.

Zach Coutu evened the game on the power play at 7:19 of the second, but on the power play Rheaume added his second of the game less than three minutes later to return a one-goal lead.

Nathan Macpherson-Ridgewell tied the game at two at 11:15, but Travis Verbeek added a shorthanded goal at 13:06 to return the one-goal Whitecourt lead.

Emanuel Hudson returned the game to a tie on an Eagles’ power play at 13:09 of the third, eventually setting up Ziegler’s winning goal in the final minute of the game.

Malin made 21 saves for the win and the Eagles had 28 shots on Renaud.

Canmore went 2-for-4 on the power play and Whitecourt was 1-for-3.

The series returns to Canmore for Game 3 on Tuesday (April 2) at 7 p.m. then Game 4 is Wednesday (April 3) at 7 p.m.