Eagles reverse into AJHL playoffs

While some teams have the misfortune of limping into the playoffs, the Canmore Eagles were driven there on a stretcher.

The Eagles turned in a lacklustre performance against the Drumheller Dragons, falling 4-1, but still managed to clinch a playoff spot thanks to a Calgary Canucks loss.

Canmore will face Brooks in the first round of the playoffs.

Even though the team is in the big dance, they are currently mired in one of their worst slumps of the season - and showed no signs of a turnaround against the sixth-place Dragons.

The Eagles wasted a strong first period effort with two weak periods of hockey, as the team rolled over against its divisional rival. A win would have put the Eagles in the playoffs and given them a chance to leap ahead of the Dragons and avoid a first-round matchup with Brooks. Instead, they now sit 14 games under .500 with two games left.

Head coach Andrew Milne ripped into his team after the listless performance, “We have terrible leadership, poor commitment and poor followers,” Milne said.

“The leaders aren’t leading and the followers aren’t doing a good job either.”

The coach again was at a loss for words for the team’s play, which has been well below .500 since Christmas. Consistency and confidence have been the team’s Achilles’ heel this season, and the team shows very few signs of turning it around.

“As a group, we don’t have that understanding,” Milne said.

Injuries have hurt the squad, however, character has also been in short supply, the coach said.

“When we lost (Ben) Bitz, we lost all of our character. It’s amazing how one player can make such a difference on the ice,” Milne said.

He toyed with the idea of dressing the injured hulking winger in the playoffs to add some energy to the lineup.

He also tried to explain the lack of production from his top players, such as Kory Roy. Roy missed a critical shot during the match, and has struggled of late to find the back of the net, despite being one of the league’s top ten scorers for much of the year.

“He plays this game so he can get a scholarship, but every day is one less chance to get it. I think he’s worried about that,” Milne said.

The Eagles dominated play in the first period, outshooting the Dragons 12-3.

Eagles captain Tyler Horton opened the scoring at 4:05 (Riley Point and Cody Cartier drew assists), and the large weeknight crowd appeared ready for a rout.

However, as has happened so often this season, the team fell apart midway through the second period. After killing a penalty, the Dragons knotted the score off the rush with a wrister that eluded goaltender Steve Papciak. Drumheller then scored the go-ahead marker with a point shot on the powerplay following a missed defensive assignment.

Visibly frustrated to be down 2-1 despite holding a 22-10 shot advantage, Canmore’s offence sputtered and coach Milne began shuffling lines. Dragons goalie Cole Cheveldave was solid when called upon, and Drumheller built confidence as the game progressed.

The third period brought no relief for the Eagles, as the Dragons scored again on the powerplay, again on a defensive miscue to make it 3-1.

The home squad appeared to catch a break, when Drumheller took two penalties to give the Eagles a 5-on-3 advantage for 30 seconds. Milne called a timeout to set up the play, however the Eagles blew their shot and allowed the Dragons to score a shorthanded goal on the ensuing rush.

Canmore appeared defeated after the goal, which boiled over into frustration.

The team did win two fights (with decisions going to Riley Reinbolt and John Stevens), however that was all they could take from the match.

After the game, the players had no answers for their play. “We came out in the second period flat, and lost our momentum. We’ve been battling against that a lot,” Reinbolt said. “I think everyone needs to come angry to the game, and just outwork and outplay the other team.”

Captain Tyler Horton took the criticism hard, and said this season has been trying. He said team confidence again played a role in the loss.

“We came out flying, but we couldn’t bury anything. Then we got lackadaisical, but as soon as they were up, we thought ‘here we go again’,” Horton said.

The captain meets with the coach almost daily to discuss the team, and has tried to lead by example with his dogged work ethic.

“I learn more every week, but honestly if I had a chance to do it again, I’d be harder on the guys. You can’t be everyone’s friend. It’s a tough balance,” Horton said. “Every guy is different.”

Horton wants to put the season behind him and focus on the playoffs. He said they match up pretty well against Brooks.

“They have a top line that scores a lot of goals. We have a top line that scores a lot of goals. They have a good shutdown line. We have a good shutdown line.

“They have good goaltending, we have good goaltending. Man for man, I don’t see much of an advantage for either team.”

EAGLES NOTES:

The team did receive some good news as Horton was nominated for the league’s most dedicated player award.

Horton has battled injuries throughout the year, and posted 12 goals and 16 assists in 45 games for the Eagles. He’s been active with the team’s reading program, and is quick to help others with their problems.

“It’s nice to get recognized for all of the work. It’s not as big an award as MVP, but it still looks good on a resumé,” Horton said, who still is undecided on his plans for next season.

“Horton is always helping his teammates and his injuries come from hard work like blocking shots. He’s a leader in the community with our school reading program and will help with whatever it takes in the locker room,” said Milne.

“He’s the complete package.”