The Stettler Imperials grounded the Oyen Eagles at the Stettler Recreation Centre on Oct. 28 during Stettler’s home, and season, opener.
Stettler netminder Jordan McCallum had a solid performance, limiting the Eagles to three goals on 40 shots on goal.
Despite Stettler going down a man early in the early stages of the first period, when Riley Turre got caught with a high stick, a misstep by the Eagles’ defence allowed Quade Cassidy and Ethan Rost to slide into the offensive end and go up one-nothing while short-handed.
Stettler kept the pressure up and scored another one at just under five minutes into the first when Lanny Duncan put one into the crease with assists by Brett Myhlbach and Devan Shanks.
After letting in three goals on five shots early in the game, the Eagles switched goalies, with Brenden Berg getting the hook and Ryan Knapton going in.
Barely two minutes late, officials were fishing the puck out of the Eagles’ net once again, this time with a goal by Ethan Rost, with assists by Erik Rosts and Cassidy. Adam Ternes added to the pressure, scoring nine seconds later with assists by Turee and Kieran Rost.
Just under halfway through the period, Oyen managed to get on the board, with a goal by Spencer Dorowicz, assisted by Jarvis Smigelski and Try Martin. Stettler fired back with seven minutes left in the period with a goal by Tye Mulgrove, assisted by JJ Fournier and Alex DeYoung.
Eagle Smigelski ended up drawing a double-minor penalty for high sticking in the closing minutes of the first period, putting the team on the penalty kill for the first time.
At the end of the first period, the Score was 5-1 for Stettler.
Things tightened up in the second period for both teams; Erik Rost, with an assist by Ethan Rost and Cassidy, opened scoring with a powerplay goal just under five minutes into the frame. The Eagles responded around three minutes later, scoring at even strength with a goal by Cayden Dumanowski, with assists by Smigelski and Dorowicz.
Erik Rost Closed out scoring in the second with just over a minute left with assists by Cassidy and Ethan Rost.
At the end of the second, the score was 7-2.
Stettler opened and closed penalties in the second period, with DJ Kistner picking up a two-minute minor for slashing, and Lowen Cassidy closed the period with a two-minute holding call. The Eagles picked up six minutes worth of penalties, for cross-checking and hooking in the second.
In the third period, Kieran Rost opened the scoring for the Imperials just under three minutes into the period, with assists by Adam Ternes and Brenden Tucker. Brett Muhlbach scored seconds later with assists by Lanny Duncan and Devan Shanks.
The Eagles closed out the game’s scoring just before the halfway mark with an unassisted goal by Dorowicz.
The final score of the game was 9-3 for Stettler, with Oyen picking up 40 shots on goal to Stettler’s 38. Penalties in the third were varied, with 10 Oyen penalties and five Stettler penalties being handed out. Total penalty minutes were 41 for Oyen and 29 for Stettler.
Stettler is back in action Nov. 3 against the Coronation Royals in Coronation.
