As the Innisfail Eagles duke it out against the Bentley Generals for the Chinook Hockey League championship, the organization and community can be assured the team's fine first-year performance in the AAA senior men's hockey circuit is being duly recognized.
Last week the league released its annual player awards list, as well as its first and second all-star teams, and the Eagles soared with the very best. The selections were made by ballots from each of the league's five teams.
Jonathon Larose was selected as the league's best goaltender and Michael Kneeland, on loan during the playoffs from the Okotoks Drillers, was chosen as the regular season's most valuable player. Both were also chosen to the league's first all-star team. Coach Brian Sutter was selected as the coach for the first all-star team. Joe Vandermeer, the Eagles' star defenseman, was selected to the league's second all-star team.
“Jonathan Larose is heads over tails the best goalie in the league. He has proven that night in and night out. Every game he comes out to play and we are lucky to have him,” said Dez Lorencz, the Eagles' director of hockey operations.
He added the Eagles were fortunate to be able to pick up a quality player like Kneeland for their current playoff run.
“Sometimes you worry when you add some players and how it is going to mix with the chemistry but he has definitely fit in fine with the chemistry of our team,” said Lorencz.
As for Sutter, he said the second-year Eagles coach, a past Allan Cup champion leader, deserved the first all-star team selection based on his dedicated commitment to the team and league.
“His intensity with the team before games, on the bus, and after games, and his desire for this team, is second to none,” said Lorencz. “He comes right from the farm and he even calves half an hour before practice. He never misses a practice.
“He's here for the boys night in and night out. He's always thinking about how to make our team better,” he added. “The thing that impresses me the most is how he understands the other team and what they are doing and the adjustments he makes before and during the game is phenomenal.”
Meanwhile, Douglas Auchenberg of the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs received the award as the league's leading scorer. Brendan Baumgartner, of the Stony Plain Eagles, was chosen the league's most sportsmanlike player while the Bentley Generals' Jason Lundmark won the best defense award. Still to come is the playoffs most valuable player, which will be chosen by the league's executive.
Auchenberg and his Fort Saskatchewan teammate Richard Kelly were selected as forwards to the first all-star team, as was defensemen Jason Lundmark and Don Morrison, who both play for Bentley.
Also making it to the second all-star team as forwards were Stony Plain's Baumgartner, Bentley's Conner Shields and teammate Chris Neiszner. Stony Plain's Scott Enders is paired with the Innisfail's Vandermeer on defense. Bentley's Travis Yonkman is the second team goalie while his coach Ryan Tobler leads the team.
