Wolverines split first two games of their second-round playoff match up against the Canmore Eagles

The second round of the AJHL playoffs kicked off last week, with the Whitecourt Wolverines
taking on their next opponent, the Canmore Eagles. Following a 4-1 series win against the
Camrose Kodiaks in the first round, the local fan base was excited to get the second round
underway, as they cheered extra loud on Friday night at JDA Place.
The Athabasca arena was packed for game one, with 770 fans in the stands, including a group
of fans who made the trek up from Canmore. The Eagles placed seventh in the regular season,
twenty points below the Whitecourt Wolverines. Friday night’s matchup was the first time the two
teams met in the playoffs.
Just like in the previous round, fan art was hung around the arena, with a bunch taped to the
glass surrounding the door that the Wolverines skate in and out of each period. Support from
fans of all ages wishing their team all the best and cheering them on with all their might was
also taped up in the stairwell and at the arena entrance. The love for Whitecourt’s team was on
full display at JDA Place.
From the moment the puck hit the ice, fans and players alike could sense the push coming from
both teams. The second round is one step closer to the finals, and no team that’s come this far
wants to come only this far. Though no goal was scored in the first, the Wolverines and Eagles
exchanged big hits as both teams pushed each other to the edge. Each had a chance on the
man advantage for a hooking call, but neither could score.
In the second period, three minutes and forty-five minutes after the halfway mark, fan-favourite
Colby Browne, assisted by Jalen Bianchet, rocketed his third of the playoffs behind the Eagles
netminder, giving the Wolverines a 1-0 lead. The crowd in JDA Place came alive, raining down
cheers on the ice surface below, letting their team know how excited they were to be there.
Browne was a point beast in the regular season, racking up 68 points, nearly double his total
from the previous season. So far in these playoffs, he’s got five points. Aside from three
penalties, one to the Wolverines (Bianchet—interference) and two to the Eagles, the lone goal
was the only addition to the scoreboard.
In the third period, things got rougher as the Eagles wanted desperately to tie the game while
the Wolverines wanted to pull further ahead. Two minutes and fifty-five minutes in, Wolverine
Kaiden Wiltsie scored his first goal of the playoffs thanks to a wicked feed by Nathaniel
Bannister, his fourth assist. Two nothing, Wolverines!
As things continued to escalate, with emotions running high, the Eagles were called for roughing
seconds after the period’s halfway point. With a chance to get up 3-0, the Wolverines did not
miss. Crease troublemaker extraordinaire Joey Melo landed his first of the playoffs, assisted by
birthday boy Travis Verbeek, who celebrated his twentieth birthday the day before. The fans
went wild!
Try as they might, the Eagles fought to get back into the game, but Wolverines goalie Lukas
Renaud was locked down tight, and no pucks could pass him. He saved all 36 shots he faced,
taking the shutout with a big smile on his face. The Wolverines had 38 shots in the victory.

Game two against the Eagles and Wolverines came the following night. There were 500 fans in
the audience ready to cheer. Early in the first, Spencer Rheaume gave fans a reason to get
loud, scoring his third of the playoffs. In the second, the Eagles tied things up just over seven
minutes in. Wanting to get the lead back, Rheaume scored his fourth, two minutes later, putting
his team back on top, 2-1. Both teams exchanged goals before the period ended making it 3-2.
In the final frame, The Eagles pulled ahead scoring twice in the second half. Unfortunately, the
Wolverines couldn’t manage to tie things up, taking the loss 4-3. Games three and four will
occur in Canmore on April 2 and 3. Game five will be in Whitecourt on Friday, April 6, if needed.
Go, Wolverines! Go!
Also in Wolverine news, Connor Ungar, Wolverines goaltender from the 2019/2020 season,
recently signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers and will report to their
AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Ungar played nineteen games as a Wolverine, posting a
9-6-3 record, 2.58GAA and a .921SV% before he moved to the WHL. He recently won the OUA
Rookie of the Year after a 20-6-0 record in his first season with Brock University.
Congratulations, Connor!