The AJHL playoffs, which the Drumheller Dragons fought so hard to earn a place in, are over for the Dragons. On Monday night, the Okotoks Oilers sent the Dragons to the off season.
The Oilers, the second place team in the AJHL southern division at the close of the regular season, defeated the Dragons in three straight games.
The Dragons had started their post season on Friday, February 24 in Okotoks. The Dragons lost 3-2.
The two teams exchanged goals and by the middle of the third period, after a goal by Sam Lawson, the game was tied. Unfortunately, a tripping penalty by Kenton Levesque, gave the Oilers the edge and they scored their third and game winning goal.
The next night the battle resumed.
The Dragons got on the scoreboard first, thanks to Josh Kluck, and held a 1-0 lead until the Oilers got a powerplay goal mid way through the second period.
At 1:47 into the third, the Oilers took the lead, but Kluck scored his second of the night and sent the game to overtime.
It was a minute into overtime when the Dragons were dealt a heartbreaking loss and fell behind in the series 2-0.
Then came Monday night, a chance to use the energy of the Drumheller crowd to get a vital win and keep the series alive.
The Dragons were on the defensive in the first period. The Dragons had difficulty getting the puck out of their zone and couldn’t penetrate the thick Oilers defence. The Oilers poured the shots on Braden Gamble and out-shot the Dragons a staggering 51-18. Gamble had a workload that would have been difficult for even the most experienced goalie.
The Dragons woes were exacerbated by penalties that resulted in the Oilers scoring two powerplay goals in the first period.
When the Dragons came out for the second period, the team looked more determined to take the puck to the net.
Co-captain Kevin McMillan led by example and scored the first Dragons goal with help from Sam Lawson and Ryan Bloom.
The Oilers were aggressive all night and the Dragons were having difficulty with interceptions and handling the puck. A turnover mid ice, while the Dragons were on a powerplay, cost the Dragons dearly. The Oilers scored a short-handed, moral boosting, goal.
The Dragons still fought hard. Levesque charged the Oilers net and caught their goalie off guard, swiped the puck, and scored the Dragons second goal of the night at 15:56 into the second period.
By the end of the second, The Oilers had scored another goal and the teams went to the second intermission with the Oilers leading 4-2.
With twenty minutes remaining, it was do or die. The Dragons never gave up and kept fighting harder as the clock wound down.
Bryton Mills, with an assist from Brodie Jamieson and Giovanni Bombini, scored the Dragons third goal at 7:02 into the third. With just under 13 minutes left, the Oilers lead did not seem so insurmountable.
Then, at 12:59 into the third, with 7 minutes remaining, Justin Cintas threw a punch that may have changed the game entirely. Cintas, taking exception to an Oiler roughing Levesque, attempted to fight the offending Oiler. It took two referees to pull him off.
The result was 2 minutes for instigating, 5 minutes for fighting, and 10 minutes for misconduct. The Dragons, with 7:01 minutes left, suddenly had to kill a five minute penalty and, on top of that, score the tieing goal.
The Dragons were on their heels during the penalty kill. A couple chances were narrowly missed. The Dragons were desperate to score and the Oilers desperate to stop them.
In the dying seconds, the Dragons made a gamble and pulled Gamble out the net. The extra attacker was sorely needed. The play backfired and the Oilers scored their fifth goal, on an empty net, with only 18 seconds left in the game.
Soon after, the horn sounded and the game, series, and season were over for the Dragons.
The team gathered around Gamble, the stalwart goalie and home star, and consoled one another. They then shook hands with the victors and gave a salute to the fans who have watched them throughout the season.
Then, the Dragons slipped quietly into the dressing room, with only the distant next season to look forward to.
