The Drumheller Dragons returned from the AJHL Showcase weekend in St. Albert this weekend with two close losses.
Playing the Spruce Grove Saints on Thursday, the team lost 2-1 after playing in what wasn’t their best form, said coach Dan Price.
“We started to play reactively, letting Spruce Grove dictate the play,” said Price. “Luckily Cheveldale (goalie) played well and kept us in the game.”
After the Saints heavily out-shot the Dragons in the first period, the following two were evenly matched.
The Dragons thought they had scored late in the third with their goalie out with 15 seconds left on the clock, but the refs disallowed the point saying the net was dislodged prior to the goal.
On the following face-off, the puck came across the slot to a player on the weak side post, but the puck bounced out of grasp to notch a game tieing point.
“We had two chances to tie it, but were unsuccessful. We were probably deserving of that fate because we weren’t playing our best in the first period,” said Price.
The second game in the Dragon’s Showcase itinerary was against the Bonnyville Pontiacs, where Drumheller took an overtime loss of 2-1.
“We carried the play for the majority of the game, we were heavily outshooting them after two periods.”
The opening goal was scored by Drumheller local Josh Kluck, making it 1-0 heading into the third.
With about six minutes left to go, the Pontiacs took a seemingly harmless shot from the blue-line, trickling through legs and sneaking past the Drumheller’s goaltender, Cheveldale.
“We had a couple great chances in overtime, with one grazing over top of the goal.”
“That was a game we definitely deserved to win in regulation.”
The AJHL Showcase allows the junior teams to perform in front of scouts of higher leagues, bringing invaluable experience to the Drumheller players.
“What the scouts would have seen was how unrelenting we were against Spruce Grove,” said Price. “They also saw, in the game against Bonnyville, just a great example of how great our guys play when their foot’s on the gas, and how they dictate play.”
Price thinks one of the things the showcase gives to the players is how to perform under pressure, to maintain focus and concentration on the task at hand.
“Regardless of how well they did it, that’s a skill that you need to learn.”
The Dragons played the Calgary Canucks in Calgary on Tuesday night. Results were not available by press-time. They hoped to take their 5-2 win over the Canucks last week into this game for another win.
The Dragons look to take on the Lloydminister Bobcats at home on Wednesday, October 6. The Bobcats are currently sitting at the top of the AJHL’s northern division.
