The Drumheller Dragons would face the 2nd place southern Kodiaks in a home and home series with the first game being played in Camrose over this past weekend. The Dragons have had very little success against the Kodiaks this season but have played them tough and needing a win if they want home ice advantage in the first round.
Game One
SLOW START HURTS DRAGONS
First period saw a very poor start for the Dragons, just 19 second into the game Camrose player Paul Lovsin would open the scoring on a bad turnover and again just a minute later Kodiaks Angus Scott would make it 2-0 Coach Curran would pull starter Xavier Burghardt and Jonny Hogue would enter the game.
Curran, “Pulling Xavier was nothing to do with his play. I had to try and shake the boys up.” It seemed to work as the Dragons would pick up the pace and
Isaac Schacher would score to pull the Dragons within 1 goal. Drumheller were starting to take back the game and forced the Kodiaks to take a timeout. It worked and Mackenzie Bauer would score to restore the Kodiaks 2 goal lead as the period would end in favor of the Kodiaks 3-1.
Drumheller Coach put
Xavier Burghardt back in the net to start the second and the first year Dragons goalie made several key saves and there would be no scoring in the second period. It seems whatever was said in the Dragons room between periods saw a faster, more physical team on the ice and the Dragons would pour the pressure on but were unable to get any closer.
Drumheller would start the third period down 3-1 and came out strong firing everything they had at the Kodiaks (Third period shots: Dragons 27 Kodiaks 10) working for a comeback against the tough Camrose team. Evan Tschumi would get the Dragons within 1 and several minutes later Slater Dykema would tie the game with less than 5 minutes remaining however Cam Gotaas would respond for Camrose giving the Kodiaks a 4-3 victory.
Coach Curran,” It was a bad 2 minutes that lost us that game. I thought after that we just got better each period and in the third I think we played our best 20 minutes of the season. It doesn't’t matter who you play, if you’re going to give up 2-3 goals in the first and especially against the top teams in the league you are going to pay.
Game Two
MANY GUNS LEADS WAY WITH HAT TRICK
The Drumheller Dragons hosted Camrose Kodiaks in the second of their back to back series with Camrose winning the first one at home 4-3. Drumheller needed to get a better start then they had in Camrose and for the most part they did just that as well Dragons penalty kill and power play would have a good night which would help the Dragons all night.
In the first the Dragons controlled most of the play period and although the score was only 2-1 in their favour at the end of the period.
Tryve Many Guns would lead the way with his first of three on this night, scoring a natural hat trick. Camrose would answer back by tying the game at one a piece but Many Guns would score his second of the period to give the Dragons a lead heading into the second period.
Second period saw the Dragons come out strong against the battle ready Kodiaks. Both teams would have several quality scoring chances but a strong effort by the Dragons PK along with solid goaltending by Dragons goalie
Hogue would deny the Kodiaks. Dragons Many Guns would get a hat trick with his third goal of the night and
Rhett Kingston would add another on a great shot that beat the Kodiaks goalie giving Drumheller a 4-1 lead at the end of 2 periods.
Third period the Kodiaks who have been known to fight back and win games came out strong, but on this night the Dragons were ready and
Jacob Schofield would score to make it 5-1.
Clint Filbrandt, who had a big night with 3 assists, would add a goal on a shot that was more like a dump into the Kodiaks zone that took a strange bounce and would beat the Kodiaks goalie giving the Dragons 6-1 lead. Camrose off a face-off in the Dragons zone on a broken play would add one more to make it a 6-2 game for the Dragons in front of their hometown crowd.
Coach Curran,” We needed a strong start to this game and after the start we had in Camrose which was very poor it was nice to see the boys come out strong. Trygve had a great night and was where he needed to be. He is a big body with good hands and very hard to move which can make it very difficult for the defender and their goalie and that's what he did tonight. There were a lot of players who played strong and it was a good team win against a very good hockey club.”
Drumheller will host the Spruce Grove Saints on Friday, February 5th at 7:30pm.
photo by Allen Gimblett, Dynamic Photography
