INNISFAIL – The Birds of Innisfail are back on ice for their 70th anniversary season.
And while the team's long-time nemesis Lacombe Generals may have spoiled the party at the home opener on Oct. 15, the Eagles left an undeniable mark in the newly renamed Allan Cup West League. However, there is much to be hopeful for as they once again chase down their dream of Allan Cup glory.
The Generals won the game 4 – 1 before about 600 faithful at the Innisfail Arena. But the Eagles, who did get off to a sluggish start and were badly outshot after two periods, shook off the early rust and proved to Lacombe, the league's perennial champs, that they must be taken seriously the rest of the season.
“Yes, we've got lots of rust. We got lots of guys who are back and forth trying to make practices. We've got 12 guys coming out of Calgary. It is the beginning of the season. We're just starting to gel,” said Eagles' general manager and assistant coach Ryan Dodd after the game.
“We played well,” he added. “We had to get skating going, we had to get our feet moving, we had to activate our defence to get them moving.”
Lacombe opened the scoring with an unassisted power play goal by Cody Cartier at 9:15 of the first period. The Generals added two unanswered goals in the second by Jesse Todd and Ian Barteaux. It was 3 – 0 after two periods with the Generals holding a 34 – 18 shots on goal advantage.
“I figured they (Innisfail) would come hard in the first period and I thought we kind of frustrated them a little bit,” said Lacombe head coach Sean Robertson, whose understaffed team defeated the Stony Plain Eagles 4 – 2 the night before on the road. “As the game went on I thought they (Eagles) got better and we knew they were going to get better so we had to match their intensity and what they were doing.”
But the Birds had other ideas. When the final frame began the home team had found their feet and timing and began to take over the momentum of the game, and Kyle Dorowicz finally got the Eagles on the board four minutes into the third.
The Eagles had life, and pressed the play for most of the rest of the game, outshooting the Generals 13 – 11 in the third period. However, the offence was stoned the rest of the way by hot Lacombe goaltending. At the other end of the ice Eagles Mike Muir played a strong game between the pipes in spite of the loss. The real difference in the game, however, was that Lacombe made the most of their scoring chances while the Eagles were forced to shake off the early season rust.
“Unfortunately they capitalized on what they had. It comes down to the guys played a good hockey game and we've got to be a little stronger on the puck and put it home when we can,” said Dodd, adding he was optimistic better game results will soon come.
“We are just starting to get our feet under us. You've got to have guys there on a regular basis to work as a line so they know the systems we are playing.”
The Eagles next game is at home once again this Friday (Oct. 20) when they host the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs. The game will feature the honouring of the late Larry Reid, legendary hockey coach and contributor from Innisfail's past. The following night they are on road to play against the Stony Plain Eagles.
Ryan Dodd, Eagles' general manager and assistant coach
"Unfortunately they capitalized on what they had. It comes down to the guys played a good hockey game and we've got to be a little stronger on the puck and put it home when we can."
