Oyen Eagles prepare for playoff run
By Jordan Parker
The Oyen Eagles only have one game left in the regular season, but they’re preparing to make an impact in the playoffs.
They play the Settler Imperials on February 19, and the following weekend they’ll be in playoff contention. Though the Eagles lost their previous game 6-4 against the Provost Combines, Coach Levi Westerlund says it was the best of their year.
“It was really an incredible effort. We were short some players, and they had a full roster. It was close to a barn-burner, and I was happy with how it went. They’re the first-place team in the league,” he said.
“We had some guys out for work and injuries. Some of them had wear-and-tear, and a few have shoulder injuries. Luckily, some are coming back for the playoffs.”
Westerlund says they need to keep doing what they’ve been doing, as the team has been building momentum.
“No one likes losing, but our effort was there in the last game. We were doing the little things right. We came up short, but we played well,” he said.
He says a few things led to an incredible effort against the Combines.
“We took care of our zone first. We have had issues all year with not doing the work in our D-zone and having odd-man breaks against because of it,” he said.
“This past game, we did all the simple things well. We got pucks deep, and when we do the right things, we can be tough to play against.”
For Westerlund, a big thing is the team has been finding better chemistry than ever before.
“It’s a working man’s league, and sometimes guys miss two or three games at a time. But as time has gone on, everyone has been doing better together,” he said. “We definitely have received a jolt from the new rookies, and they’ve injected some zip for sure.”
The last game was an initiation night, which saw four to six-year-olds come out on the ice. The team saw an incredible turnout for it and were happy to be a part of the community.
“It felt so good to have the kids on the ice. It helps to show younger kids what they have to look forward to,” said forward Jarvis Smigelski.
“People on the team all have kids, nieces or nephews who did Initiation Night. It was amazing that my daughter did it, and I loved the experience.”
Smigelski says getting into the season took a bit due to COVID-19 and other factors.
“The guys just needed to work a little bit and get back in shape. We are in the right direction headed to the playoffs, and that’s where it matters,” he said.
He also thought the Combines game was the best 60 minutes the team played all year.
“We skated hard and supported the puck well. We had a good chance to win against a powerhouse team,” he said. “We fell a bit short of the win, but I’m so happy about the way we played.”
He echoes his coach’s statements about how to be successful during an important playoff run next weekend.
“We need to work on the defensive side of our game and keep pucks out of the net. Scoring hasn’t been an issue, but we need to support along the wall,” he said.
“It’s a 200-foot game, and we need to be defensive-minded first and foremost. If we want to win, that’s the route we have to take.”
Back Row (L-R): Lane Swenson, Jarvis Smigelski, Brayden Smigelski. Front Row: Emmett Smigelski and Blakely Smigelski.
