~~I was three paragraphs into another of my patented meanders down my very short memory lane before I felt something not quite ‘write’.

It is almost a full 72 hours after The Army secured their 8th Alberta SR AAA Provincial banner, by virtue of a thrilling 6-5 OT win in Innisfail. Chances are good…you were there and you saw it yourself. Of course it’s important these games be captured & documented…somehow…for the benefit of the futures history. However, there is something even more important that needs to be said at this point.
 Something classically special has happened here this winter and for that…there needs to be a “thank you” written in acknowledgement to all the people who played a part in creating it. Therefore, to all the sponsors, fans and players of both Innisfail Eagles and Bentley Generals…Thank you!

Thank you for caring about your community. Thank you for making the effort to support your team(s). Thank you for filling the rink…in both person and passion…and helping to put together a classic rivalry.

In Alberta these days…our NHL teams are failing to do much beyond torture hockey fans with what they claim is an excusable failure to play the game at the highest level. It boggles my mind how people justify spending hundreds…even thousands… of dollars to attend games…especially in Edmonton where the Oilers shockingly insist to the paying public they are entitled to the virtue of “respect”.
Around here…we still understand…respect is earned.  So, again, thank you for getting involved in “The Battle for Antler Hill” in whatever capacity you were. Senior Hockey spends much of its time on life support in Canada these days and despite the very real disdain I might have towards some aspects of this rivalry…I understand and appreciate what it has done for the greater good. Like all good soldiers…you didn’t have to do the things you did. You stepped up in support of a cause. And you’re a great Canadian for doing so!


The Innisfail Eagles had already restored dignity to their franchise, long before they took the ice in game 4 of the 2014 Alberta Finals. Despite needing a win to avoid a straight game defeat to their hated foes…the Eagles had re-preened their once tattered plumage. I only needed to stare across the sea of people in their home rink through-out this series as testament. All the venom coursing through the veins of this monster-rivalry…has provided a medical miracle for Innisfail. It is the blood transfusion they needed.  Anyone who can’t look at the beautiful ugliness of this rivalry and see a benefit to both sides is being myopic.

That’s why I will overlook the aspects which beg for no forgiveness. Instead…a look back at the final game which can only be described as “The Game Flew Over the Eagles’ Nest”.

Not even two minutes into it…Kevin Smyth...playing the role of “Big Chief”…ripped the sink off the wall and tossed it out the proverbial of the asylum. Smyth reached out with one massive hand and turned up the pressure on his former team, tipping a centering pass over Travis Yonkman to make it 1-0. The Eagles were ransacking the Generals zone early in this game. They swooped in and made it 2-0 on a Mike Kneeland goal and it could’ve been far worse. The hometown team pumped up a 7-0 shot advantage before the Gens’ managed their first pressure on Johnathan Larose. Inny answered that first Gens’ surge by pouring more coal on…but…in the middle of their best period of the season…they took a penalty , providing the defending champs a tiny portal of escape from a five alarm fire. Scott Kalinchuk blasted a  cascade of water on the explosion with a PPG at 10:19. Not to be denied, however, the Eagles stoked it up again when Dan Shermerhorn made it 3-1 at 4:30. The Generals were suffering 2nd degree burns at this point and it was already looking like a 5th game would be necessary. The thought of any additional games…came as grave concern for Bentley…already missing a couple key vets with injuries. The Finals’ schedule could’ve quickly become problematic, considering games 5 & 6 were both slated for the same weekend as game 4…a death-defying 3 games in three days.

Craig Weller heaved a point shot past Larose in the last minute of a satanically controlled Eagles period to put the score 3-2. The damage was considerably minimized, it seemed.

In the opening moments of the 2nd…the Eagles were still fully possessed and the insanity raged on. Shawn Bates batted a loose puck into the top corner, re-staking the 2 goal lead at 4-2. It was time for an exorcism. After Chris Neiszner made it 4-3 at 17:33, Connor Shields used a handful of holy water to conjure The Hockey Gods and tie the game at 4 with 14:29 on the clock.
The Eagles had outshot Bentley badly up to that point and Sutter was distraught about not holding onto the lead. He went to one of his famous “go-to” moves, swapping out his All-Star goaltender for seldom used Bryce Luker.

Not even 10 minutes into the 3rd…Luker gave up the lead when Randall Gelechs’ shot capped a wild sequence at 14:26. The Army had the lead but a 10 minute walk through hell took it all away. The game went into a wild, stick-smashing, glass buckling barrage before Shawn Bates buried the tying goal with only 4 minutes remaining. An evil roar erupted, deep out of the darkside. When Gens’ Captain, Sean Robertson, took a high-sticking minor with 33 seconds left in regulation…it meant the Battle between good and evil would start OT with only 4 heavenly angels on the ice. Everything seemed to be pre-ordained to put the Eagles back in the series.

Alas…The Army PK was well versed in scripture. They walked through the valley and emerged back at Even Strength…with rod and staff still clenched in hand.

At 14:54 of OT…Gelech…again…scored. Ending the madness. Ending the Eagles season and vanquishing all those demons which had haunted the Bentley Generals ever since that fateful day in 2012 when Sutter was given his “last supper”.
The Battle for Antler Hill is over. The Bentley Generals have proven to be what they have always been. A first class, first winner when it comes time to decide the big moments. The Eagles will return next year with an eye for an eye mentality again.

But…let it be written…that the righteousness won on this day. I respect both teams. Truly I do. It was an excellent series. The Gens’ are getting ready for Powell River now. More to come on that this week!
Once again…thank you to both teams and stick taps all around.