Under the pomp and circumstance of their AJHL home opener, complete with flashy spotlights, tailgate barbecues and Calgary Flames-style introductions to the strains of “Rock you Like a Hurricane,” the Canmore Eagles pulled out their best whiz bangers to attract the masses to their home opener.
However, someone forgot to alert the team’s offence, which subsequently went MIA. against the defending AJHL champion Spruce Grove Saints on Saturday (Sept. 17) at Alex Kaleta arena.
The Eagles dropped their home opener 4-0 to the Saints, losing their fourth straight game to open the 2011/2012 season.
The sputtering offence has produced just two goals in 12 periods of hockey to start the season and the Eagles remain the only team in the AJHL’s South Division yet to record a win. In each game, they’ve failed to record 20 shots on net.
“We’re not creating enough offence,” said head coach Andrew Milne, stating the obvious. “We need to get more pucks on the net and start taking the puck to the net.”
The Eagles started strong, taking the body against a young Saints team. The line of Connor Hoekstra, Keegan Thompson and Simon Philp in particular stood out against the Saints with an aggressive forecheck.
However, the Saints struck first at 9:40 of the first when Mike Williamson let a wrist shot go from the point that made it through a screen and through Eagles goaltender Brady Rouleau.
The Eagles were given two powerplays to start the second period, but failed to sustain any pressure in the offensive zone. By the end of the frame, the home team had managed a paltry six shots on net, and were outshot 12-2 in the second. The Saints were able to capitalize on their chances after young Eagles defender Nikolas Kosman lost a battle behind his net, which in turn resulted in a one timer that eluded Rouleau to make it 2-0.
The third period proved to be the Eagles’ finest, as captain Davis Claffey and assistant captain Ciaron Driscoll stepped up their play. Forwards Steven Phee and Braeden Music buzzed the Saints defenders, but couldn’t sustain pressure near the goal mouth. Halfway through the period, Rouleau misplayed the puck, which resulted in a 3-0 game. The Saints went on to add an insurance goal on the powerplay late in the period to make it 4-0.
Milne said the Eagles gave the Saints goalie an easy shutout.
“We didn’t challenge him,” Milne said, who went on to say his Eagles allowed several soft goals.
“We need some serious work on the offence,” Milne said. “There are two ways to score: shoot the puck on the net or take the puck to the net. We have to do both better.”
Captain Claffey said it’s frustrating to see the team generating so few goals. The team is strong and skilled, he said, but hasn’t been able to translate that into goals.
“We need to generate more opportunities. It’s frustrating when you’re getting under 20 shots a game,” Claffey said.
Everyone must contribute to the offence, he said.
“Last year, we were more of a one line team. This year we have to spread out the scoring,” Claffey said.
Leading the group of scrappy forwards, Hoekstra said the key to scoring rests in getting to the net.
“We have to grit our way to wins,” he said. “We have to get to the net and use our bodies.”
Last year, the Eagles dug themselves a hole with a spate of poor play to begin the season, from which they never truly recovered. While that slide was blamed on injuries, Milne thinks a lack of preparation may play a role in this year’s early funk. Most AJHL teams played seven exhibition games while the Eagles only managed two.
For the last week of the pre-season, the Eagles were without their head coach, Hoekstra, Thompson and Kosman. While he was happy to see those players, as well as himself, attend the Team Canada camp, it may have hampered the club’s cohesiveness.
“I won’t say it hurt the club, but it didn’t help,” Milne said. “With those guys gone this week, we were behind the eight ball.”
He also blamed injuries early on, as Trey Phillips, expected to contribute offensively this year, was scratched minutes before the match.
Claffey said there were positives from the Saints game that they can build upon.
“It was our best game of the season by far.”
The Eagles next home game is Saturday, Sept. 24 against the Fort McMurray Oil Barons.
