CANMORE – It all comes down to Game 7 in the Canmore Eagles first round playoff series after coming through in a must-win situation.
Forward Kyle Young scored twice and the Eagles defeated the Camrose Kodiaks, 5-2, to fight off elimination on Sunday (March 13) at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
“We knew it was do-or-die today, so we had to put everything out there and leave everything on the ice, regardless of the outcome,” said Young, who also had an assist.
Forwards Max Monette, Mitchell Watson, and Brayden Plaschewsky also scored for Canmore, and blueliner Drae Gardiner added two helpers.
Goalie Andreai Proctor-Ramirez had 47 saves.
“Outside of Game 1, we’ve been a very hardworking, committed, [and] sacrificing team,” said Andrew Milne, Eagles head coach and general manager. “We worked all season to get to the point where we’re at now and I think guys are seeing that their efforts are being rewarded. It’s fun hockey and it’s exciting and the guys are in positions to be successful and they played hard. I give them a lot of credit.”
After winning Game 6 at home, the @canmoreeagles headed to the rink next door to watch the final minutes of the U15 Eagles playing for a CAHL championship banner. #Canmore #hockey #playoffs @TheAJHL pic.twitter.com/3stF9QuBNZ
— Jordan Small (@jordiesmall) March 14, 2022
In the first period, Eagles Dylan Bidyk's goal was waved off after goaltender interference was handed to the defenceman.
But for a team that's struggled offensively this season and needed scoring wherever they could find it, you wouldn't have known it as the Eagles came out flying on Sunday. Monette and Young found the back of the net to take a 2-1 lead into intermission.
In the second, Eagles forward Riley Dekowny was tossed from the game after being slapped with a blow to the head penalty for a hit on Kodiaks Blake Kondor. Kondor went to the back under his own power and did not return.
The league reviews all major penalties and Dekowny’s status for Tuesday’s (March 15) Game 7 is currently undetermined. Dekowny leads the Eagles offensively in the playoffs having scored three goals and seven points.
After the game, Milne spoke toward Dekowny’s game misconduct.
“It’s an unfortunate circumstance for the Camrose player and you hate to see someone get injured, but I don’t think Riley left his feet or moved his arms or raised his body, I just think it was simply the guy ran right into him,” said Milne.
Early in the third, with Canmore up 3-2, the Kodiaks pressured the hometown club, but it was Young’s timely second goal of the game that gave some much-needed breathing room.
Plaschewsky then added an insurance marker to put the game on ice.
The all-or-nothing Game 7 is Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m. in Camrose to determine which club advances onto round two.
“I expect a hard, physical and fast game,” said Young. “Our goalie, Proctor-Ramirez, has been outstanding this series. I expect it to just be a hard slug-fest and I don’t expect it to be a high-scoring game.”