Heading into the riveting final match during the provincial senior hockey tournament held at the Innisfail Twin Arena, some of the Eagles administration behind the scenes weren't overly worried about the outcome of the game.
Though the Eagles ultimately came out on top, management knew the bigger challenges will come in next year's playoffs, after the currently AA team officially plays for AAA glory and a shot at the Allan Cup.
“We're going to grow off the ice,” said head coach Brian Sutter. “We've got a lot of things we're just starting.”
The emphatic support Innisfail received this year from local sponsors such as Fourlane Ford, Future Ag, Innisfail Truck Ranch and Innisfail Family Dental among others, has put the club in a better financial position to contend for the larger prize.
“It's another opportunity,” forward Dan Shermerhorn said of taking the plunge into the higher-calibre hockey. “We'll make a run at that. All you can do is play the games that are scheduled.”
Having won the provincial tournament is the perfect selling point to attract top- notch talent to next year's team, he added.
“This might help us recruit employees,” he said. “This was as much as we could do this year.”
The Eagles are already in a solid position to make that leap, having challenged for the top spot in the standings of the AAA Chinook Hockey League throughout the season this year.
Sutter is credited with fashioning the Bentley Generals into a multiple Allan Cup-winning squad with the help of several people who are now stationed firmly behind the Eagles bench.
