CANMORE – The Eagles inconsistent play has continued while the team has been away from home at the Canmore Rec Centre so far this season.
Before heading out on a recent four game road trip, the longest of the season, the Eagles record on the road was 2-7.
Canmore kicked off its road trip in Lloydminster last Friday (Nov. 8) against the Bobcats. Devin Chapman got the nod in net, making his first start since Oct. 20.
“Chappie earned the start. He has shown he wants to start, he puts in the work every practice,” said Eagles head coach Andrew Milne, who also wanted to give Kadin Kilpatrick a rest after starting the previous five games.
After Ethan Schaeffer scored his first of the season and the game’s opening goal, the Eagles gave up six unanswered goals, losing 6-1 to the the league’s basement team. Chapman was pulled from the game after giving up four goals on 14 shots.
“Devin just wasn’t in the game right from the start, but our guys let him down too,” Milne said.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, the Eagles peppered the Bobcats' goaltender, Josh Dias with 42 shots, but were unable to solve him more than once. The high flying duo of Alex Young and Connor Lyons were also kept off the score sheet for the first time in nine games.
“We dug ourselves a hole early in the game that we just couldn’t get out of and it doesn’t matter who you play in this league, when that happens it's not easy to comeback,” Milne said.
In Bonnyville, the following evening, the Eagles bounced back defeating the Pontiacs by three goals.
“Our guys felt terrible after the game in Lloydminster and they were frustrated. They channeled that emotion into the game on Saturday and it was probably one of our best games of the year,” Milne said.
Kilpatrick returned to the crease for the Eagles and earned his first shutout of the campaign, turning away all 18 shots he faced.
On Tuesday (Nov. 12) evening, the Eagles paid a visit to the Drumheller Dragons. For the second time this season the two sides needed overtime to solve the game. Once again, Drumheller got the best of Canmore in the extra frame, earning a 3-2 win.
“Overtime really is a crapshoot," Milne said. "Anything can happen, and just like the last time we played Drumheller in overtime they got a lucky bounce and earned the extra point.”
While the Eagles failed to earn two points in the game against Drumheller, Milne was pleased with the way the players handled themselves, and considers the game a moral victory.
Penalty trouble and a strong forecheck by the Dragons forced the Eagles to battle through adversity.
“We played really well. We also played on our heels – we bent, but didn’t break. I think the guys learned that’s the kind of performance we need from them," he said.
Milne said he wants to see the team use the last three games as a lesson and use the positive momentum as a springboard into the back half of November.
The Eagles will face off against some stiff competition over the next two weeks including a pair of games against the Okotoks Oilers, which is currently ranked 11th in the nation.
The Eagles next home game is this Saturday (Nov. 16) against the Spruce Grove Saints.
