By Terry Martin
The Saints and Eagles battled is out for the final time this season as Spruce Grove looked to get a win after losing to Canmore earlier this season. The Eagles are 5th in the south division with 18 wins and 45 points. Canmore is also looking to get back into the win column as they are on a 5-game losing streak dating back to January 23 where they beat the Dragons in a shootout. The Saints still hold onto 1st place in the North division, now 7 points up on the Oil Barons.
Just 1 minute into the game and Braeden Virtue would fire the puck bar down to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. Logan Acheson would then finish off a great passing play, firing the puck blocker side to put the Saints up by 2 early on. Ethan Schaeffer would then score for the Eagles to cut the lead in half. Riley Dekowny then scores for Canmore to tie the game 2-2 just a few minutes later. Luigi Benincasa would retake the Saints lead after banging home a rebound in the slot. Cody Pisarczyk then comes down the wall and goes backhand shelf to regain the 2-goal lead. The Saints would be up 4-2 and just ahead on the shot clock, 9-8.
Hunter Brown opens the scoring in the middle frame, shooting blocker side on the breakaway opportunity. Nikola Jovanovic would then fire the puck home to put the Saints up 6-2 just 5 minutes into the 2nd period. No one would score for the rest of the period and the Saints would outshoot the Eagles 22-14.
Both teams would slow down the offense through the first 10 minutes of the final period as the Saints and Eagles would combine for 6 shots. The Saints would continue to control the puck for the majority of the frame but could not find the back of the net. The Saints would win the game 6-2 and would outshoot the Eagles 32-21.
The Saints are back in action on Sunday to face off against the Okotoks Oilers at 4:15 PM to end their southern road trip.