Our Drumheller Dragons were going into the weekend with their backs against the wall, facing elimination in their first round series against the Camrose Kodiaks on Friday night at the Memorial Arena. The Dragons needed a victory to force game six in Camrose on Sunday evening.
Friday night would be a battle of the goaltenders to start off the game. Drumheller would come out firing shots on Kodiaks netminder Carter Capton with 17 shots on goal in the first period but could not solve the Camrose goaltender. Sean Cootes on the other end, for the Dragons, would face 9 shots himself but the period would end tied 0-0.
Drumheller would open the scoring on a two on one opportunity, short-handed, as Jacob Goudreau would set up Jase Johnstone for his 2nd of the post season, giving the Dragons the 1-0 lead with 6:26 remaining in the second period. Camrose would have their chances but Cootes would hold his ground and the Dragons would take the 1-0 lead into the third period.
Early in the third, Jase Johnstone would score his second of the game (3), from Bradley Gallo and Nick McLennan, to increase the Dragons lead to 2-0. Later in the period, Camrose would get into some penalty troubles where the Dragons would capitalize with Rowan McDonald scoring his first of the playoffs with 5:48 remaining, assisted by Matthew Hilderman. Drumheller would add one more on the man-advantage with Bradley Gallo scoring his first of the post-season, from Jensen Marsh and Tristan Payne, sealing the 4-0 victory to force game six in Camrose on Sunday night.
The Dragons did not have the start they wanted in Camrose on Sunday. Kodiaks captain Keegan Beagle would open the scoring 4:21 into the first period. Just a few minutes later, Dragons goaltender Sean Cootes made a spectacular save to keep it a one goal game. Camrose would add another with 2:07 left in the first with Tavish Beagle scoring his 4th of the playoffs. The Kodiaks would take the 2-0 lead into the second period.
In the latter half of the second period, the Kodiaks would increase their lead with Liam Payne scoring his fourth of the post-season, making it 3-0. The first penalty of the game was called on Camrose for hooking with 3:20 left in the period, and Drumheller would get on the board during the ensuing powerplay. Jensen Marsh scored his first of the playoffs, from Bradley Gallo and Tristan Payne with 3:03 left in the second, cutting the deficit to 3-1 Camrose. Drumheller would win a faceoff deep in the Camrose zone with 16 seconds left in the period, and Jase Johnstone would score his 4th of the playoffs, from Bradley Gallo and Cameron Johnsen with only 9.1 seconds left, making it 3-2 Kodiaks.
Could the Dragons come back to tie in the third period? With 5:52 left in the period, Cameron Johnsen scored his first of the post-season, assisted by Jase Johnstone, tying the game 3-3. The game looked like it was destined for overtime but the Dragons had a different idea. Jase Johnstone scored his second of the game (5), from Jensen Marsh and Bradley Gallo to give the Dragons the 4-3 lead with 41 seconds left in the game.
That would be it as Drumheller would win 4-3 and force the series back to Drumheller for game 7 on Tuesday night at the Memorial Arena. Tickets are available online for the game at tickets.drumhellerdragons.ca. There will be limited tickets available at the door. The winner of game 7 will move on to face the Canmore Eagles in round two of the InterPipeline Cup Playoffs.
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