This past weekend saw the Eagles in action Friday night in Sylvan Lake against the Admirals, and then saw then venture up the QEII to Stony Plain to battle the rival Eagles. The boys worked hard in practice in preparation to the weekend by working on their defensive zone coverage and their offensive fore check.
Friday night started out very fast paced and with lots of emotion from the get go. The Eagles and Admirals have a rather long-standing rivalry dating back to when Sylvan Lake was known as the Rocky Rams. There was lots of fireworks all evening resulting in the officials being kept rather busy all night.
There were lots of chances throughout the 1st period but both tenders were on their “A” games it would seem. Innisfail would be able to sneak one past the Admirals tender 14 minutes into the opening frame when Sean Neumeier would convert with assists going to Ryan Kallis and Scott Kallis. This would put them up 1-0 through 20 minutes of play.
Sylvan would answer back early into the second period tying the game at 1-1. Innisfail’s hard work in practice seemed to pay off as they were controlling most of the play and weren’t allowing the Admirals to generate much offence. Ryan Kallis would sneak one past Sylvan’s tender with the lone assist going to Ian Brander. Sylvan would sneak two more past veteran goalie Wade Waters to put the Admirals up 3-2 through 40 minutes of play.
The third period was back and forth with neither team giving up any chances to be capitalized on. Innisfail would pull Waters to get the extra attacker out but wouldn’t be able to capitalize. Sylvan would find the empty net with six seconds left in the game to win 4-2.
Due to family commitments and injuries the Birds would head to Stony short handed. That didn’t keep the boys from putting out one of their strongest efforts of the season. Jeff Clazie would put the Birds up 1-0 nine minutes into the first period when he’d bury a pass from Neumeier. The boys would hold the lead until the three minute mark when Stony would capitalize on a defensive zone break down tying the game at 1-1 through 20 minutes.
Daryl Blais would spark the boys 6 minutes into the second when he would walk around a couple of Stony’s defenders and shelving the puck with the apples going to Drew Coles and Scott Kallis. Unfortunately Innisfail wouldn’t hold the lead long as Stony would find the back of the net to tie the game up at two through 40 minutes of play.
Innisfail battled all night and didn’t show any signs of fatigue from the lack of skaters or the fact that this was game two in two nights for the boys. They kept battling all game but would have one more defensive one break down which allowed Stony to capitalize again and take the lead for the first time in the game. Stony would add an empty netter to sink the Birds 4-2 for the second consecutive night.
The boys have started to gain some momentum and although they are winless through the first half of the season they’re really starting to show some serious potential and should start to win sooner than later. This Friday they will be home to the Stony Plain Eagles for their fourth and final match up of the season, and then the boys head north to Fort Sask again on Saturday.
‘Till next week.
