Heading into the Christmas break both the Innisfail Eagles and Okotoks Drillers wanted to make statements during their game on Dec. 11.
The Eagles, playing their last home game before Santa's annual visit, wanted to prove their current first-place status in the senior men's Chinook Hockey League over the reigning Allan Cup champion Bentley Generals is no fluke, while the first-year Drillers are out to show that they can indeed be competitive with the best on any night.
And the Drillers did prove for at least one period they could give the faster and bigger Eagles squad a tough and challenging skate.
The Eagles, led by two markers from Travis Dunnstall, were up 3 – 2 after one period. Although the Eagles outshot the Drillers by a whopping 25 – 9 margin, the visiting team showed spirit and looked like they certainly belonged on the same ice with Tyler Helfrich and Branden Gay each scoring a goal.
But the skill and finesse of the Eagles started to take over in the second, particularly after the home squad's Jeffrey MacPhee decisioned the Drillers' Colin Murphy in an entertaining scrap. Two minutes later Chad Ziegler scored on a beautiful setup from Brendan Lamb. That marker was followed by Joe Vandermeer's slapshot goal from the slot at 3.33 and the Eagles closed out the second period with a comfortable 5 – 2 lead.
But the Drillers refused to quit and pressed early in the third frame. Okotoks' Jeremy Chadsey battled the Eagles' Adam McPherson in the second fight of the game and came out the winner. That seemed to spark the visiting squad and Gay notched his second goal of the game and the Drillers made it 5 – 3.
But the Eagles, who suddenly found themselves in penalty trouble in the third, settled down and took back the game. Ziegler scored his second goal at 12.22, as did Joe Vandermeer from a shot from the point on a power play at 7:40. Dunnstall, who was selected the Eagles star of the game, assisted on both his goals.
The game ended 7 – 3 for the Eagles, who ultimately outshot the Drillers 52 – 34.
Eagles coach Brian Sutter was happy after the game with his club's performance but once again insisted the league's current first-place team still has a ways to go before it reaches its full potential.
However, he did point out with satisfaction that the Eagles, after a slow start this season offensively, are finally putting the puck in the net with authority.
“We are finding ways to win and we are scoring goals. We had problems scoring goals earlier. We don't have problems scoring goals anymore,” said Sutter, noting the game against the Drillers was the second in a row the Eagles have tallied seven goals. “We've added three young guys to our team who are making a world of difference for us. When you add Chad Ziegler and young Wyatt Hamilton and Adam Henderson, three young guys who can skate and play in all situations, it helps your hockey club.”
The Eagles hit the road for the two final games before the Christmas break. Next up are the Bentley Generals on Dec. 18 and then to Okotoks to face the Drillers on Dec. 21.
The Generals trail the Eagles in the standings, but going into the Dec. 21 game they have three games in hand and are miles ahead of anyone in league defensively, giving up only half as many goals as the next best team, which happens to be the Eagles.
Sutter said he is not at all concerned about how well Bentley is playing.
“We know how we've got to play. We've got to keep getting better every night. We are not giving up much defensively,” said Sutter. “Once the game starts I don't look at the other team and wonder how they are playing. I'll be honest in saying I don't know who we play after we start. I'm more concerned about how we play.”
