Your Drumheller Dragons kicked off what was intended to be a hard fought game one in the InterPipeline Cup Playoffs against the Canmore Eagles. This would not be the case.
The game started as expected with both teams battling hard to get on the board first. The Eagles would have a four minute powerplay early in the first period but the Dragons would limit their opportunities on getting the puck to the net, and would kill off the penalties. Just past the midway point of the period, the teams would be four on four. Drumheller would get on the board first when Will McLaughlin, who is from Canmore, scored, assisted by Brec Christenson. Canmore would equalize with 5:48 remaining in the period on a goal by Cole Wadsworth, which Dragons goaltender Sean Cootes was mere inches from stopping. The teams would end period one tied 1-1.
The floodgates would open for the Dragons in the second period. Only 2:28 in, the Dragons would regain the lead with Logan Peskett scoring, assisted by Allen Sherpa and Tristan Payne. Drumheller would get their first extended powerplay near the midway mark of the period. At 9:49, Allen Sherpa scored on the man advantage, assisted by Tristan Payne and Kai Matthew, making it 3-1 Dragons. Drumheller would capitalize on another powerplay chance at 13:07 when Ayden Peters scored, assisted by Easton Daneault and Ellis Mieyette, giving the Dragons the 4-1 lead. One minute later, Dragons forward Ellis Mieyette, while on the penalty kill, scored his first of the playoffs, from Easton Daneault, making it 5-1. The scoring for the Dragons wasn’t finished. With 3:47 remaining in the period, Logan Peskett scored his second of the game, from Ayden Peters. Then with 2:48 left in the second, Tristan Payne would find the back of the net, assisted by Ellis Mieyette (although the scoresheet gave the assist to Nathan Hawkins) and Easton Daneault. Canmore was frustrated and Nathan McPherseon -Ridgewell decided to drop the gloves against Tate Yule. That would be an error in judgement as Yule handily won the fight, only adding to the fire by the Dragons. Drumheller, with six goals in the second period, would take the 7-1 lead to the intermission.
In the third, Drumheller would continue to play solidly and would add to their lead only 1:34 in when Bradley Gallo got in behind the Canmore defense and tallied his first of the post season, making it 8-1 Dragons. The Dragons weren’t finished as at 6:55 Tristan Payne scored his second of the game, from Brec Christenson and Nick McLennan. Canmore would get on the board only 15 seconds later as Rhett Dekowny scored, making it 9-2 Drumheller. Then, only 38 seconds later, Nick McLennan added another for the Dragons, from Easton Daneault and Brec Christenson, making it 10-2. Drumheller would add one more with 7:57 remaining when Kai Matthew snapped a shot from the left circle, assisted by Logan Peskett (scoresheet had it backwards giving Peskett the goal and Matthew the assist). Canmore would look deflated after the game, falling 11-2 to the Dragons in game one.
Shots on Goal
Canmore – 27
Drumheller – 37
Powerplays
Canmore – 0/8
Drumheller – 2/7
3 Stars
- Tristan Payne DRM (2G, 2A)
- Logan Peskett DRM (2G, 1A)
- Easton Daneault DRM (4A)
Hardest Working Dragon – whole team
Should make for an interesting game two tonight (Saturday) in Canmore. You can listen to all of the action on “the Home of the Dragons” New Country 92.5 with Jason Blanke and Boedy Shields, starting with the Western GM Pregame show at 6:45!!!!
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