The Innisfail Eagles third game of the 2023 Allan Cup series was as heart stopping as any hockey game could get.
The game on April 19 in Dundas, Ontario against the Hamilton Steelers saw Innisfail down 4 – 1 at the midway mark of the second period.
But instead of folding the Eagles stormed back to tie the game at 4 – 4 later in the period.
The Birds, showing they collectively had the hearts of a pride of lions, took the lead in the third but fate would deny the gutsy Innisfail squad.
The Eagles entered the game with a one win and one loss record in the four-team series round robin. The Birds needed a win against Hamilton to avoid the risk of not qualifying for even the series semi-final.
The Steelers’ situation was more precarious as they were zero wins and two losses going into the game.
They lost their first game to the Clarenville Ford Caribous in the series' opening contest on April 17 by a slim 4 – 3 margin, and then dropped their second on April 18 to hometown Dundas Real McCoys in a shootfest by an 8 – 6 score.
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Hamilton took a 2 – 0 lead in the first period, with Michael Riley opening the scoring at 7:58. Cam Sault made it 2 – 0 for the Steelers at 11:54.
In the meantime, the Eagles found themselves desperately trying to find their legs.
They would soon have two five-on-three penalty opportunities against the Steelers to get back in the game.
But the Eagles could not pull the trigger against Steelers’ goalie Daniel Svedin, who stopped all 12 Eagles’ shots fired his away after 20 minutes. The Birds’ Matt Climie faced 10 in the first period.
The second period was an epic barnburner.
The Steelers owned the first half but the Eagles stormed back.
There were nine total penalties called, five against the Steelers, four called against the Eagles.
Innisfail outshot Hamilton 15 – 10.
The Eagles opened the second period scoring at 1:53 with a power play goal by Colton Hayes. That made the score 2 – 1.
Then Hamilton answered that at 7:12 with its own power play goal by Chris Leveille. It was 3 – 1 for the Steelers.
Just over three minutes later at 10:33 Leveille struck again with a short-handed goal to make it 4 – 1.
At this point Innisfail could have folded, but no.
The Birds had plenty of fire left.
Parker Smyth scored on the power play at 12:18. It was 4 – 2 for Hamilton.
Almost a minute and a half later the Birds’ Justin Faryna scored on another power play at 13:46.
The Eagles had made it 4 – 3.
Did Innisfail have anything left in the tank?
Yes. Ty Clay scored at 13:46 on yet another power play.
It was all tied up at 4 – 4.
The third period was all end-to-end action with the Eagles having more and better chances - until the last minute and a half.
The Birds had another penalty opportunity at 7:01 but could not capitalize.
However, the Eagles’ Clay, who had an excellent overall game, finally put the Birds in the lead for the first time at 9:33 on a fast break; blasting a shot past Svedin’s far side.
It was 5 – 4 for the Eagles.
But Hamilton was not about to go quietly into that good night.
The Eagles’ Jesse Lees was called for slashing at 15:24, and Hamilton came close. Innisfail’s Climie made two great saves to preserve the lead.
The Steelers, however, would not give up.
With 1.28 left Hamilton’s Michael Riley tied the game.
And then with the Eagles’ hemmed in their own zone with just 33 seconds left, the Steelers - who pulled their goalie - struck again to take the lead 6 – 5.
Hamilton held on to win the heart-stopping game.
Innisfail outshot Hamilton in the game 40 – 34.
The Eagles end round robin play with one win and two losses.
Depending on the outcome of the game on April 20 between Dundas and Clarenville the Eagles still have a shot to play in the semi-final game on Friday, April 21.
