CANMORE – With two goal-hungry Grande Prairie Storm rushing toward the net all alone, the puck-handler quickly passed to his teammate for an easy tap in, which would have been a sure thing if any other goalie besides Canmore Eagles Matthew Malin was between the pipes.
Reacting swiftly, second-year player Malin stretched out his leg and made a marvellous toe save, robbing the Storm and bailing the Eagles out to an eventual victory on Tuesday (Oct. 11) at the Canmore Recreation Centre.
"You don't really think, you just do. It comes naturally," said Malin. "It's all the prep before; it's where all the mistakes are made before the game."
The Eagles topped the visiting Storm, 3-0, as Malin recorded his first shut out with the local club, being rewarded the game puck afterward.
At .933, Malin (4-1-0) has been a brick wall and currently owns the best save percentage in the league. The 19-year-old has been on top of his game starting off the 2022-23 campaign, which includes a huge win over last year's champion, the Brooks Bandits.
"Over the summer, it was a big development for me," said Malin. "I'm coming into the season with a little experience; it's not new to me. Last year I came in and I was little nervous, and a little shaky, now I've built my confidence up over the year and now it feels great."
As the 19-year-old goaltender has shined early on, he's been outperforming teammate and 2021-22 all-star Andreai Proctor-Ramirez (1-4-1), who's struggled out of the gate.
After winning the season opener on Sept. 16, Proctor-Ramirez has split starts as he works through the cold streak.
"Our team has all the confidence in the world in [Proctor-Ramirez]," said Andrew Milne, Eagles head coach and general manager. "He's a good goaltender and we know that, but we also know Malin is a good goaltender, not taking anything away from Matty.
"[Proctor-Ramirez] came into the season and knew he was the starter and there was a little more pressure on him and Malin is a little bit more calm, and didn't have to be the starter with a veteran guy ahead of him, so he's playing a little bit more freer hockey and [Proctor-Ramirez] has a little bit more pressure on him."
The Eagles are 5-5-1 after 11 games, and 2-1-0 since a roster shake-up at the beginning of the month when Carter Myrol retired from hockey and defenceman Dylan Bidyk was traded to the Calgary Canucks for future considerations on Oct. 6 after requesting to be moved.
Replacing them are newly signed blueliner Ryan Nolan, who has two points in three games, and winger Reed Jacobson, who scored twice in his debut on Oct. 7. Jacobson has been sidelined since, though, with a minor shoulder injury, but is expected to return this weekend.
The Eagles next home game is Friday (Oct. 14) against the Camrose Kodiaks, which lost to Canmore last year in the playoffs. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
Eagles rookie earns AJHL award
After a five-point night (two goals, three assists) at home against the Drumheller Dragons, forward Rhett Dekowny was named AJHL rookie of the week (Oct. 3-9).
With nine points in 11 games, the 18-year-old winger is in the top 10 in scoring among rookies.
"I was very excited when I first seen it on Instagram, [the Eagles] mentioned me, so I was pretty excited," said Dekowny.
Playing on a line with older brother, Riley, the Dekowny brothers have scored 11 goals and 18 points combined in 11 games.
"My very first year of initiation is the only time I've ever played with him before," said Dekowny. "Our parents couldn't be happier, so it's awesome."
Milne said the skilled rookie is a tough competitor and has lots of upside.
"Figuring out the first seven or eight games of the season was a bit of a challenge, but he's obviously coming into his game," said Milne. "I think the five-point night for him wasn't a fluke, he was doing everything that night ... it's only going to get better for him."
