The Innisfail Eagles flew into the New Year, edging out the Stony Plain Eagles 4-3, with razor sharp vision focused on upcoming playoffs and provincials.
Saturday the team boarded the big white bus and headed north to Stony Plain. Both teams looked sluggish and still full of turkey in the first period. Neither team has played since before Christmas and it showed.
The second period was a different game for both teams. Stony struck first at 18:03 of the second on the power play. Andrew Buote quickly tied things up for the Eagles with help from Davey Anderson and Jonny Malin. Just over a minute later Stony regained the lead. As the middle of the period arrived the Innisfail Eagles finally sprung to life and things started to click. Buote scored his second of the game at 6:21 with an apple going to Captain Tylor Kellor. Kellor then peeled the puck off a stony defender and tucked his first goal of the game with 3:55 to go in the second. Corey Tibble put the Eagles up 4-2 with a 1:28 to go in the second with the helper going to Randy Graham. Colin Stebbner was busy in the second as he faced 18 quality shots turning away 16 of them.
Stony came out in the third with a new tendy in net and some new wind beneath their wings. The Southern Eagles stayed focused and played some solid defence in the third. Stony was however able to bash in a bouncing puck in a scramble around Innisfail's net at 14:27. Stony's third goal would prove to be their last as Innisfail stood their ground and played an unyielding third period. Stebner was solid for the Eagles stopping 31 of 34 shots he faced in the game.
Next up for the Eagles is another road trip. This time the boys and hopefully a few fans and sponsors will be heading to Sylvan Lake this Friday Jan. 11. Game time in Sylvan is 8:30 p.m. We look forward to having a good cheering section follow us there.
